The Museum of Applied Arts

The Museum of Applied Arts

The Vienna audio-guided tour points out, on your right, the fine red Neo-Renaissance palace of the MAK, the Museum of Applied Arts. It is one of the most important museums of the Austrian capital, dedicated to decorative arts, design and contemporary art.

A museum of design

The building was designed by the architect Heinrich von Ferstel and erected in 1871. The MAK houses a unique collection of applied art objects: furniture, glass, porcelain, silverware and textiles, from the Middle Ages to the present day. Since 2004, the museum has been lit in the evening by a permanent outdoor installation. It celebrates design and traces the evolution of decorative arts across the centuries.

What there is to see

Among the highlights, admirers of Gustav Klimt will admire the frieze made for the Stoclet Palace in Brussels: as the latter cannot be visited, the MAK offers a rare chance to discover it. The collections of furniture, glass and porcelain, as well as the design and contemporary art exhibitions, make the visit a complete overview of the applied arts.

Practical information

The MAK is on the Ring, in the centre of Vienna. Visiting the collections requires a ticket; hours and prices vary with the season and exhibitions, so it is best to check in advance. The facade and the outdoor light installation can be seen freely from the street, once evening falls.

What can be seen at the MAK ?

The museum displays furniture, glass, porcelain, silverware and textiles, as well as the Klimt frieze made for the Stoclet Palace in Brussels.

What does the abbreviation MAK mean ?

MAK is the usual name of the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts, housed in a Neo-Renaissance palace erected in 1871.