Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna Museum
Vienna museum dedicated to applied arts and design
MAK on Vienna's Ringstraße displays applied arts and design from historic decorative objects to contemporary craft. Tourists go for furniture, textiles, design exhibitions and the museum's period interiors.
Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna at a Glance#
Address: Stiftgasse 2, 1070 Vienna, Austria
Website: https://www.mak.at/en
Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00am-6:00pm, Thu open until 9:00pm, closed Mondays
Admission: Standard adult ticket ~€15-€16; concessions available (verify current pricing)
About Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna#
The Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna is the Austrian museum for applied arts, design and decorative arts with roots in the 19th century. Its collections cover historic furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork and textile arts alongside contemporary design and architecture projects.
The institution presents permanent displays of decorative arts and rotating temporary exhibitions that place historical objects in dialogue with modern design. Highlights often include Viennese Secession and Wiener Werkstätte objects alongside European applied-art traditions.
The MAK traces its origins to a 19th-century initiative to promote arts and industry and has evolved into a museum that balances historic collections with contemporary design commissions and exhibitions.
The museum is located on Vienna’s Ring Road close to the city’s central museums and cultural institutions, making it accessible from the inner city.
- Foundation and focus: Founded as a state museum of applied arts in the 19th century, it combines historic collections with contemporary design programming.
What to See#
- Permanent collections: Permanent and rotating displays of applied arts, including historic furniture, glass and metalwork spanning several centuries and periods of European design.
- Temporary exhibitions: Temporary exhibitions and contemporary design shows that augment the historic holdings with modern applied-art and design practice.
How to Get to Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna#
MAK is a short walk from Karlsplatz (U1, U2, U4) and connected by numerous tram and bus lines. It sits in Vienna’s central 1st-7th district area, easily accessible on foot from the Ringstraße.
Tips for Visiting Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna#
- Buy timed tickets online to avoid lines, especially on weekends and during Vienna's tourist high season.
- The museum's permanent applied-arts collection has excellent furniture and glass displays - take the time to see the period rooms.
- Visit the café in the restored palace courtyard for a quiet break; the building itself is the star.
Best Time to Visit Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna#
The museum is an indoor attraction best visited in shoulder seasons for smaller crowds; Thursday evenings can be quieter and allow extended viewing.
Weather & Climate near Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna#
Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -2°C to 26°C. Moderate rainfall (587 mm/year).
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -2° - 3° | -3° | 31 mm | overcast | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.6h |
| February | Poor | -2° - 5° | -2° | 35 mm | overcast | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 0.2 low | 10.0h |
| March | Good | 2° - 10° | 3° | 42 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 0.4 low | 11.7h |
| April | Very Good | 5° - 15° | 10° | 47 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 3.5 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 13.5h |
| May | Very Good | 10° - 21° | 16° | 63 mm | partly cloudy | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 1.2 high | 15.0h |
| June | Very Good | 13° - 24° | 19° | 71 mm | partly cloudy | 67% | 3.0 m/s | 1.5 high | 15.8h |
| July | Excellent | 15° - 26° | 21° | 72 mm | partly cloudy | 64% | 3.0 m/s | 1.5 high | 15.5h |
| August | Excellent | 15° - 26° | 20° | 58 mm | partly cloudy | 64% | 2.8 m/s | 1.2 high | 14.1h |
| September | Very Good | 11° - 21° | 16° | 49 mm | partly cloudy | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 12.4h |
| October | Good | 6° - 14° | 10° | 37 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 2.8 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.7h |
| November | Poor | 2° - 8° | 2° | 46 mm | overcast | 88% | 3.1 m/s | 0.1 low | 9.1h |
| December | Poor | -1° - 4° | -2° | 36 mm | overcast | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.2h |
