The story
Welcome to the MuseumsQuartier, or as we locals call it, the MQ. Standing here at Museumsplatz 1, you are at the threshold of one of the largest and most vibrant cultural districts in the world. But before you look at the modern art, take a moment to look at the architecture surrounding this massive courtyard.
Notice that grand, lemon-yellow Baroque facade that stretches out like the wings of a palace. In the early 18th century, Emperor Charles the Sixth commissioned the legendary architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach to build this. However, it wasn’t built for royalty to sleep in—it was built for their horses.
Completed in 1723, these were the Imperial Stables, designed to house six hundred of the Habsburgs' finest steeds and their magnificent carriages. If you listen closely and ignore the hum of the city, you can almost imagine the rhythmic clatter of hooves on these stones and the smell of hay and leather that once filled this air. By the 20th century, the horses were gone, and the site served as a fairground and exhibition space.
It wasn’t until 2001 that it was reborn into the artistic powerhouse you see today. The genius of the MQ lies in its contrast. Look around the courtyard and you will see a daring architectural dialogue between the old and the new.
To one side stands the Leopold Museum, a glowing cube of white shells-limestone. Inside, you’ll find the world’s largest collection of works by Egon Schiele, whose raw, expressive lines redefined modern art. Directly opposite sits the mumok—the Museum of Modern Art.
Its dark, curved exterior is made of volcanic basalt, looking like a mysterious obsidian block dropped from space. This juxtaposition of the 18th-century Baroque stables and 21st-century minimalism is the very essence of Vienna: a city that honors its imperial past while fearlessly embracing the future. As you walk further into the courtyard, you’ll notice the iconic, oversized plastic lounge furniture known as Enzis.
These benches change color every few years based on a public vote and have become a symbol of the MQ’s transition from a formal imperial site to a democratic, social space. In the summer, this courtyard is packed with people reading, drinking wine, or playing boules. In the winter, it transforms into a cozy landscape of glowing ice pavilions.
Whether you are here for the high-end galleries, the children’s museum, or just a coffee in the sun, you are participating in the living history of Vienna. Enjoy your stroll through this former stable, where the only thing being groomed today is the next generation of world-class art.