Francisco Carolinum Linz
House for photography and media art of the Province of Upper Austria in a magnificent historicist building of 1895 in the centre of Linz.
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About the museum
The impetus came from the Upper Austrian Art Association, which from 1854, at the suggestion of Adalbert Stifter, acquired artworks for a provincial gallery of its own. For this collection and the other holdings of the provincial museum, a stately new building on Museumstraße was constructed from 1884 following a competition design by the Düsseldorf architects Otto van Els and Bruno Schmitz. Emperor Franz Joseph opened the building, named after Archduke Franz Karl, in 1895.
Its most striking feature is the sandstone frieze, about 110 metres long, on the façade, which tells the history of Upper Austria from the Celts to the Habsburgs. Inside, a monumental staircase rises to a glass dome, whose lunettes Franz Attorner painted with depictions of the four quarters of the province.
Over the decades the original permanent presentation of various collections gave way to a programme of changing exhibitions, from the 1980s with a focus on art since 1900. Since 2020 the Francisco Carolinum, as part of OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH, has been devoted to international photography and media art. During the renovation the skylight halls were restored to their original state, and in 2024 the Hans Frank Gallery for classical photography was added on the ground floor. In 2021 the museum also opened a virtual location in the metaverse, where its digital collection is shown as well. The building also houses the specialist library of OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH, founded in 1835.
Highlights
- Changing exhibitions of international photography and media art
- Historicist building of 1895 with a 110-metre-long figure frieze
- Staircase with glass dome and lunette paintings by Franz Attorner
- Hans Frank Gallery for classical photography on the ground floor
- Digital collection and virtual location in the metaverse
- Founded
- 1895
- Operated by
- OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH
- Visitors per year
- approx. 18,159 (2025)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Groups of 8 or more adults, paying companions, and holders of, among others, ORF-Card/Ö1 Club, Ö1 Intro Card, AK Leistungscard, ARBÖ membership, Aktivpass of the City of Linz, STANDARD subscription, OÖN plus and Krone Bonuscard |
| Children & teens | €3Children and young people aged 6 to 19 as well as pupils €3. |
| Seniors | freeFree admission from 60 years. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with disabilities free; companion also free if noted on the ID. |
| Students & apprentices | €3Students on individual visits, people in vocational training up to 26 years, civilian and military service participants and with 4youCard; every Wednesday 1–6 p.m. free admission for everyone up to 26 years. |
| Groups (8+ people) | €5 per personPer person; school groups, after-school care groups and kindergartens free. |
| Families | €9One adult with children; with the OÖ Familienkarte this price also applies to two adults with children. |
| Family ticket (2 adults with children) | €13€9 with OÖ Familienkarte |
| Private tour (group of up to 20 people) | €60Plus admission |
Free admission: Every Wednesday 1–6 p.m. free for everyone up to 26 years; every first Sunday of the month free with the OÖ Familienkarte.
Free admission with Kulturcard 365, Linz Card (24, 48 and 72 hours), Kulturpass "Hunger auf Kunst & Kultur", ICOM and Museumsbund ID, and for asylum seekers. Education programmes for groups per person: €3 (1 hour), €4 (1.5 hours), €5 (2 hours or workshop). Cancellation fee for booked tours €25 (two working days before) or €35 (on the day of the event).
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Barrier-free entrance with lift at the rear of the building; some assistance is needed in places. Accessible toilet available. Loan wheelchair on request; assistance and guide dogs with ID permitted.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | €9 · One adult with children; with the OÖ Familienkarte this price also applies to two adults with children. |
|---|
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
Prams are permitted, changing tables in the restrooms. Free admission with the OÖ Familienkarte on every first Sunday of the month. Children under 14 only when accompanied by adults.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Museumstraße
Bus 26 or 27 to Museumstraße; tram 1, 2, 3 or 4 to Taubenmarkt, from there via the Graben, crossing Dametzstraße, straight ahead into Museumstraße.
By car
Paid parking
Ample paid parking around the museum, for example the Elisabeth Garage. The car park behind the building (access via Elisabethstraße) is for deliveries only.
About a 5-minute walk from the Taubenmarkt tram stop. Taxi ranks at Pochestraße/Fadingerstraße, at Hauptplatz 11 and on the Promenade.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
Cloakroom and free lockers; larger bags and backpacks must be left at the cloakroom. Specialist library of OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH in the building.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 120 guests.
Festival hall under the dome (136 m², up to 120 people in cinema-style seating, 48 at a banquet) for receptions, presentations and events; exhibition tours for guests on request. Enquiries to veranstaltungen@ooelkg.at.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming for private purposes permitted, without flash, tripod or selfie stick; individual exhibitions may have their own rules. |
| Good to know | Public tours, workshops and lectures according to the programme; private group tours for up to 20 people. Registration for groups and schools at kulturvermittlung@ooelkg.at or +43 732 7720 52222 (Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m.), school programmes from 9 a.m. with two weeks' notice. The venue shows changing exhibitions only. |
