Best for
Contemporary art fans looking for a change of pace from Klimt-era Vienna
Time needed
1–1.5 hours
Worth it?
Yes for contemporary art fans — a good, uncrowded addition to a Belvedere visit
Skip if
You're only interested in Klimt/Schiele-era art
About Belvedere 21
Belvedere 21 began life as the Austrian pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, a modernist steel-and-glass structure by architect Karl Schwanzer that was dismantled after the expo and rebuilt in Vienna's Schweizergarten as the Museum of the 20th Century. After a 2009–2011 remodel by Adolf Krischanitz it reopened as 21er Haus, and took its current name, Belvedere 21, in 2018 as the Belvedere's dedicated contemporary art venue.
Where Upper Belvedere is Klimt and Schiele, Belvedere 21 is where the Belvedere shows what's happening now: contemporary Austrian and international art, film screenings, music and a sculpture garden, all inside a building that's itself a significant piece of postwar modernist architecture.
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It sits a short walk from the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in the Arsenal/Schweizergarten area south of the Belvedere gardens, making it easy to combine with either Upper Belvedere or the military history museum for a fuller afternoon in this part of the city.
What to See: Highlights
- 1Contemporary Austrian and international art exhibitions
- 2Significant 1958 modernist pavilion architecture by Karl Schwanzer
- 3Sculpture garden
- 4Film and music programming alongside visual art
- 5Far less crowded than Upper Belvedere
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Insider Tips
Combine with Upper Belvedere or the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, both nearby
Thursday evening (until 21:00) is a quieter, later option
Check the current exhibition programme — it changes regularly
Good option if you want contemporary art after a Baroque/Klimt-heavy day
The sculpture garden is worth a walk even outside exhibition hours
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Getting There
Arsenalstraße 1, 1030 Wien
Open in Google Maps →- 1Tram D to Elisabethstraße, or a 10-minute walk from Südbahnhof/Hauptbahnhof.
Where to stay
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you visit.
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Should You Visit?
Visit if...
- You're interested in contemporary Austrian and international art
- You appreciate significant postwar modernist architecture
- You're already visiting Upper Belvedere or the nearby military museum
- You want a quieter museum experience than Vienna's headline sights
Skip if...
- You're only interested in the Belvedere's historic Klimt collection
- Contemporary art isn't your focus
- You're very short on time in the Belvedere/Arsenal area
Ready to Book Your Visit?
More to See in Vienna
Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Military History)
Austria's military history museum, including the car Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in — the single object most directly tied to the start of World War I.
Belvedere (Upper Belvedere)
Prince Eugene's Baroque summer palace, now home to Gustav Klimt's The Kiss and the world's largest Klimt collection, with gardens sweeping down toward the Vienna skyline.