Kunsthalle Krems

About the museum

The halls of the Kunsthalle Krems were built in 1852 as a tobacco factory of the Austrian tobacco monopoly; from 1958 carpets were manufactured here, and production ended in 1980. Afterwards the empty rooms were occasionally used for temporary art projects. In 1990 the artist Wolfgang Denk proposed using the building permanently as an art hall – an idea that was controversial at the time for a small town far from Vienna.

The province of Lower Austria took up the proposal: the operating company was founded in 1991, and at first the Minoritenkirche in Stein was used for exhibitions. In 1992 Adolf Krischanitz won the architectural competition with a concept that preserves the early industrial fabric and adds sober new buildings in exposed concrete. After the conversion, the Kunsthalle opened on 31 March 1995; it was the first venue of what later became the Kunstmeile Krems.

Under changing directors – Wolfgang Denk, Carl Aigner, Tayfun Belgin, Dieter Buchhart and Hans-Peter Wipplinger – the programme ranged from 19th-century art and classical modernism to the present. Since 2016 Florian Steininger has headed the house, with a focus on international art since 1945. Works by Eva Schlegel and Peter Kogler are permanently integrated into the architecture, and the forecourt occasionally serves as a sculpture site.

Highlights

• Changing exhibitions of international art from modernism to the present
• Former tobacco factory from 1852, converted by Adolf Krischanitz
• Column hall and inner courtyard as exhibition spaces
• Permanent works by Eva Schlegel (glass wall) and Peter Kogler (staircase)
• Admission to the Dominikanerkirche Krems included in the ticket

Founded

1995

Operated by

Kunstmeile Krems Betriebs GmbH

Director

Florian Steininger

Admission & discounts

Admission to the Dominikanerkirche Krems is included in all tickets. Prices 2026. Free admission with the Niederösterreich-CARD (once in the booked year), with IAA ID, ICOM Card and the Kulturpass "Hunger auf Kunst und Kultur". Two tickets for the price of one with a Stadtbücherei Krems library card; reduced admission after arriving by nextbike rental bicycle. School pupils and kindergarten children from Lower Austria have free admission as a class or group (project ABENTEUER MUSEUM!). Day tickets without time slot, repeated entry and exit possible on the day of the visit. No annual pass; Friends of the Kunstmeile Krems have free admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the Kunstmeile Krems, all venues and exhibition rooms are barrier-free (ramps, handrails, sliding doors, lift, low hanging height, easily legible labels, wheelchair-accessible toilets). Wheelchairs and light folding chairs are available free of charge at the ticket desk. Assistance dogs (noted in their ID) are permitted, please report to the ticket desk; otherwise no animals. Personal guided tours can be booked according to individual needs. Disabled parking spaces: 2 at the southeast part of the Landesgalerie (access via Steiner Donaulände or Ringstraße), 3 along Steiner Landstraße opposite the entrance of the Karikaturmuseum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family tour every 3rd Sunday of the month at 2 p.m.; on the national holiday (26 October) KINDER.KUNST.FEST on the Kunstmeile. The Kunstmeile Krems also offers children's birthday parties, the open studio Family Factory, the free MY MUSEUM BOX as well as breastfeeding and changing facilities; a large playground is a few minutes' walk away at the boat landing stage. Children up to 6 years free.

Getting there & parking

By car from Vienna or Salzburg via the A1 and from St. Pölten/Ost via the S33 to Krems, alternatively from Vienna via the A22 and from Stockerau via the B3; on site, the Kunstmeile Krems traffic guidance system. The Danube bridge Stein–Mautern has been closed to motor vehicles since 18 May 2026 (detour via the St. Pölten bridge). From the Krems/Stein ship station it is about four minutes' walk to Museumsplatz; nextbike rental bicycles at Krems station, among others (about eight minutes' ride), bicycle racks in front of the museums.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

Museum shop with catalogues and editions; free cloakroom, lockers with deposit (€1 or €2), free Wi-Fi on the Kunstmeile. Restaurant Poldi Fitzka on the ground floor of the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich (Museumsplatz) with beer garden.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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