MoE Museum of Emptiness

About the museum

The MoE Museum of Emptiness opened on St. Gallen Museum Night, September 10, 2016, created by the artist Gilgi Guggenheim. Since 2011 she has been concerned with how emptiness can be represented and how a museum can be developed from it, responding to the growing flood of information and images. The house on Haldenstrasse lies on the southwestern edge of the old town, a few minutes’ walk from the station.

The museum consists of two rooms: through a ground-floor foyer, visitors enter a large, empty room with a floor-to-ceiling window front in an Art Nouveau house. This empty exhibition room is the actual work; the museum bench and listening station deliberately take up museum forms. In the foyer, a collection of emptiness grows out of definitions and interventions, supplemented by spoken thoughts from adults and children.

At intervals, those responsible invite cultural practitioners from art, theater, dance, music, film or philosophy, who define emptiness through actions or mere presence; afterwards the room is empty again, and an opening follows. Outside the project periods, the room can be rented as a workspace, inspiration space or rehearsal room, and the “Akademie der Leere” (Academy of Emptiness) offers courses. The house celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2026.

Highlights

• Empty exhibition room as the artwork itself
• Growing collection of emptiness in the foyer
• Listening station with spoken thoughts on emptiness
• Former Art Nouveau house with a floor-to-ceiling window front
• Free admission; visits and guided tours by arrangement

Permanent exhibition

• Museum of Emptiness – Ausstellung der Leere – The empty exhibition room is the work itself; in the foyer, the collection of emptiness grows with definitions, interventions and a listening station. According to museums.ch, the exhibition is planned to run until 2076.

Founded

2016

Operated by

MoE Museum of Emptiness (Gründerin: Gilgi Guggenheim)

Director

Gilgi Guggenheim

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission; a container is provided for voluntary contributions, into which visitors put an amount according to the value they assign to emptiness.

Accessibility

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

The foyer is accessible at ground level; further information on accessibility has not been published.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum describes itself as child- and family-friendly; art classes for children, young people and adults are offered, as well as children’s contributions to the listening station.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties

The room can be reserved by the hour, evening or day, once or on a regular basis, as a workspace, inspiration space or rehearsal room (for cultural practitioners, workshop leaders, groups and private individuals); enquiries via the contact page.

Plan your visit