July 4, 2026 – October 18, 2026
It's not about nothing. Episode 2
Second part of an exhibition on documentary art practices: photography, film and archival material on suppressed histories, migration and political upheavals.
Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst
Leipzig exhibition venue and museum for art after 1945, with villa, new building, garden, café and artists' hotel in the Musikviertel (Music Quarter).
Opening hoursAdmission from €7 Wheelchair accessible Café
Current exhibitions
September 5, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Heidi Specker: DamenzimmerHerrenschnitt. Eine Hommage an Aenne Biermann
The photographer Heidi Specker engages with the life and work of the Jewish avant-garde photographer Aenne Biermann – through her own photographs and two video works.
October 1, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2026
Presentation of the award-winning titles of the book design competition of the same name in the auditorium.
September 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027
Studio Inklusiv
Inclusive studio and presentation project in the villa, where people with and without disabilities make art together.
About the museum
The idea for a museum of current art in eastern Germany emerged in the last years of the GDR around the art historian Klaus Werner. In November 1990 he founded a supporters' association together with the entrepreneur Arend Oetker, which initially enabled the gallery to show exhibitions at changing locations. Since 2002 the institution has been organized as a private-law foundation, supported by the City of Leipzig, the Free State of Saxony and the supporters' association.
In May 1998 the gallery moved into its own building: the Herfurth'sche Villa in the Musikviertel, built in 1894, was converted to plans by Peter Kulka and given an extension. In 2004 a single-story new building with flexibly divisible spaces by the architecture team as-if berlinwien was added; it won awards for its adaptable sequences of rooms.
After Klaus Werner, Barbara Steiner directed the gallery from 2001 to 2012; Franciska Zólyom has been director since then. The exhibitions focus on the social role of contemporary art, the artistic legacy of the GDR and positions from Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
The collection includes painting, prints, photography, sculpture, installations and media art; it draws on holdings of the Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft, among other sources, as well as donations and acquisitions. The grounds include a public garden with Olaf Nicolai's broom labyrinth, a library, a café and a hotel.
Highlights
- Herfurth'sche Villa from 1894, converted by Peter Kulka
- New building by as-if berlinwien (2004) with adaptable spaces
- Olaf Nicolai's labyrinth of brooms in the garden
- Collection of art after 1945, including positions from the GDR and Eastern Europe
- Free admission on Wednesdays
- Founded
- 1990
- Operated by
- Stiftung Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig (Stiftung privaten Rechts)
- Director
- Franciska Zólyom
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Those eligible for reductions according to the website (criteria not specified there) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children and teenagers under 18 free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with a severe disability rating of 50 or more and their companion free. |
| Combined ticket | €10Reduced €6. |
Free admission: Free admission every Wednesday
Single ticket €7/€5, combined ticket €10/€6.
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
The villa is reachable via a ramp (6.1% gradient) and an elevator (ring the bell); the new building is single-story with a ramp; the café is reachable via a ramp. Accessible restrooms in both buildings; loan wheelchair and folding stools free of charge. On request (at least 7 days in advance), assistance with getting there. Contact: zugang@gfzk.de.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Family workshops and holiday courses for children in the workshop; its own children's newspaper "FLIPPO". Free admission on Wednesdays.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Neues Rathaus · 8-min walk
Tram lines 2, 8, 9, and 14 (low-floor cars) to the stop Neues Rathaus, then about an 8-minute walk along wide sidewalks.
By car
One reserved accessible parking space directly in front of the GfZK villa; further step-free parking spaces at the back of the villa (Wächterstraße).
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Café
Café with terrace, public garden, library, and hotel on the grounds.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Available for rent: auditorium, Great Salon with terrace (villa), library, garden and Black Box (new building), e.g. for conferences and readings. Contact: service@gfzk.de.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Bookable guided tours: one building approx. 60 min. (€50 plus admission), both buildings approx. 90 min. (€80 plus admission). Art educators available on site for questions on several afternoons a week. Inclusive studio program “Studio Inklusiv”. |
