MQ Passages

Arched passageway with white walls decorated with black geometric line patterns, two people walking through — © MuseumsQuartier Wien

Open around the clock

The MQ Passages are a central feature of the MuseumsQuartier Vienna. These historic passageways between the courtyards were originally intended solely as connecting routes but have evolved into open exhibition spaces in the public realm. Today, they blend architecture and contemporary art, transforming the journey through the complex into a cultural experience in itself.

The MQ’s historic Baroque barrel vaults connect the individual courtyards and provide access to the site from all sides. Over the years, thematic passages have emerged within these walkways, functioning as independent micro-museums. Each passage features permanent artistic installations dedicated to a specific theme, while also regularly hosting temporary exhibitions.

Together, the MQ Passages form a network of art, architecture, and movement, creating a space where contemporary art is not presented as a static exhibition but unfolds as visitors pass by, becoming part of their daily lives.

View through an arched passage decorated with colorful marble patterns with an open gate and a person in the background — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Literaturpassage

The Literaturpassage connects contemporary literature with public space. The permanent visual design is by Helmut and Johanna Kandl, complemented by rotating exhibitions dedicated to emerging authors and current literary trends.

Arched passage with white vaulted ceiling and black abstract wall paintings and a red mailbox on the left wall — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Typopassage

The Typopassage explores type, typography, and language as visual expression. It examines the relationship between text, space, and design, and makes type tangible within an architectural context.

Brückenpassage

The Brückenpassage connects Burggasse with the MuseumsQuartier and was designed by the artist Hans Schabus. The walls and ceiling are uniformly coated with hammered finish paint, a material used in machine and industrial production. The reseda green color references Otto Wagner’s urban railway architecture and unifies the various architectural elements into a cohesive whole.

Kabinettpassage

The Kabinettpassage is dedicated to international comics and graphic novels. A large-scale ceiling painting by artist Stéphane Blanquet dominates the space, while rotating exhibitions showcase international comic artists.

Tonspurpassage

The Tonspurpassage focuses on sound art. The permanent visual design by Esther Stocker provides the setting for temporary exhibitions that showcase acoustic works and experimental forms of listening.

View through a covered passage with a reflective ceiling showing a person on a bicycle and a street with bushes in the background — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Performancepassage

The Performancepassage was designed based on a concept by Christoph Meier as a space for movement and self-reflection. The fully mirrored ceiling and the lightbox displays curated by Andrea Maurer invite visitors to engage in performance and experiment with language.

Ceiling of a passageway with a black-and-white line drawing depicting constellations and dots, round images on the wall below, and a person walking past — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Sternenpassage

The Sternenpassage is a micro-museum dedicated to light phenomena and photography. The interior design, conceived by Sabine Jelinek, combines a baroque diagram on the ceiling with illuminated wall display cases, creating an artificial sky for rotating artistic installations.

Yellow wall with the text 'Born in Stars We Live on Earth as Poets', a round metal fixture, and five framed pictures, with a blurred person walking past. — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Meteoritenpassage

The Meteoritenpassage refers to a meteorite that was placed in 1999 as a symbolic cornerstone of the developing MQ site. It explores themes of origin, matter, and time, and combines artistic and conceptual perspectives.

Concrete wall with white text reading 'I-weed YOU-weed HE-weed SHE-weed IT-weed WE-weed' next to a passage decorated with black-and-white square patterns and trees in the background — ©MuseumsQuartier Wien

Street Art Passage

The Street Art Passage brings urban art to the MuseumQuartier. Permanent installations by the French artist Invader and Lois Weinberger are complemented by temporary exhibitions featuring international and local street artists.