The third public location of the Albertina specialises in exhibitions of post-1945 art from the in-house collections. You’ll have to leave Vienna (the horror!), but the Albertina Klosterneuburg is almost within walking distance of the city’s border.
- Easily reached by train or bus
- Only open seasonally (April until early January)
- Showcases works from the Albertina archive
- Artists like Lichtenstein, Hundertwasser & more
- What special exhibitions are on?
- Book tickets* for the Albertina Klosterneuburg
- See also:
A contemporary bonus
(View from the road as you near the museum)
The challenge with having a giant archive of outstanding art is the limited space available to ever show it.
Most of the magnificent collection of the Albertina remains behind the doors of its depots…even with a second venue in Vienna (the Albertina Modern) and a regular series of special exhibitions.
In early 2024, help appeared in the guise of a third Albertina location just outside Vienna.
The former Essl Museum in the upmarket town of Klosterneuburg is now the Albertina Klosterneuburg, home to two bright and spacious public exhibition halls flanking a small shop and café.
In recent years, the Albertina’s post-1945 contemporary art has grown through acquisitions and donations to over 65 thousand objects.
Prestigious works from that collection not currently involved in special exhibitions in Vienna or elsewhere will now come out into the carefully-controlled light in Klosterneuburg.
As such, the exhibitions draw entirely on the in-house collection, with some items appearing on display for the first time ever during the 2024 season.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
A ticket for or from the Albertina Klosterneuburg includes all the exhibitions within. Note that the museum opens seasonally: from April 9th, 2024 to January 5th, 2025, Thursdays to Sundays, 10am to 5pm.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
Special exhibitions
(Lichtenstein and Warhol featured in this view of the Albertina Klosterneuburg’s first exhibition; press photo © eSeL Fotografie)
Three exhibitions run until the end of the 2024 season:
- Pop Art – The Bright Side of Life (c. 65 works)
- From Prachensky to VALIE EXPORT (c. 55 works)
- Hundertwasser / Lafontaine / Okun (c. 20 works)
On my visit just after opening, the title of works appeared in German and English, but extended text was German-only. A surprise, since the Albertina is normally bilingual. Perhaps English has been or will be added later.
Be sure to also go out on the terrace for views across to the wooded hills around Vienna. And to the gorgeous Baroque Klosterneuburg abbey. And to, um, a McDonalds.
The abbey is actually just a short walk away and has its own artistic treasures, albeit most were only contemporary several centuries ago. And, if you’re there in warmer months, the museum lies close to a range of open-air leisure facilities that include the Strandbad public baths.
How to get to Klosterneuburg
Unlike nearly all museums back in Vienna, this one has some car parking. However, public transport gets you there quickly; Klosterneuburg practically borders Vienna.
Your target is the Klosterneuburg-Weidling station.
- Train: a strong option is the S40 service that goes out there from Vienna’s Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, Spittelau (on the U4 and U6 subway; pop out to view the incinerator) and Heiligenstadt (on the U4 subway).
- Bus: the 400 bus leaves from outside Heiligenstadt
Note that network travel passes for Vienna don’t get you all the way: you’ll need an extra ticket.
Once at Klosterneuburg-Weidling, simply exit the station and walk down the road outside parallel to the tracks and in the same direction of travel as the train you arrived in.
Just after you pass the Billa supermarket, you veer off right down Donaustraße and then left down Strandbadstraße to reach the museum. Signs are everywhere and you can spot the building from a distance.
Total walking time from the station is typically less than ten minutes.
Address: An der Donau-Au 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg | Website