Vienna Secession
Friedrichstrasse 12, Vienna, Vienna, 1010
Known for its gold-leaf dome from outside and its Gustav Klimt-created Beethoven Frieze inside, the Vienna Secession is a treat of intriguing architecture and art. While the big draw is the Beethoven Frieze—an interpretation of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9—the artist-run building hosts continually changing contemporary art exhibitions.
The basics
Being an architectural head-turner, the Secession building nearly always gets a mention on the many Vienna walking tours or scavenger hunts that pass by. Niche history and architecture tours will give you a greater lowdown on the building’s history, the accompanying artistic movement, and its exhibitions. Art-focused tours or those with private guides may also include admission and an interior visit.
Otherwise, you can visit the Vienna Secession on your own, buying tickets online or as you enter. Guided tours occur every Saturday in English at 11am and in German at 2pm. Audio guides in many different languages are also available when you enter for a small extra fee.
Things to know before you go
Children under 12 can enter for free, although exhibitions are curated with adults in mind.
Group discounts are available for parties of 10 to 25 people, but visits must be registered in advance with the Vienna Secession.
Admission is free with the Lower Austria Card (Niederösterreich-CARD) and the Kulturpass. The Vienna Card doesn’t cover admission but does include a free audio guide.
Wheelchair users can ring the bell or call the Vienna Secession for assistance when they arrive. There is an elevator at the left side of the building, and the Beethoven Frieze and select contemporary exhibitions are accessible and barrier-free.
There is an on-site gift shop where you can find a good range of art books, artistic postcards, traditional souvenirs, and even honey made by local bees.
How to get there
The Vienna Secession building is south of Vienna’s Innere Stadt, on Friedrichstrasse. The closest public transit stop is Karlsplatz, where the metro lines U1, U2, and U4 all stop. As Karlsplatz is big, look for the exit sign “Ausgang Secession” when you leave. Several trams stop at the Station Opernring, another nearby public transit stop.
When to get there
The Vienna Secession is open year-round, Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 6pm. To mark the Secession’s 125th anniversary, the site offers free admission every Wednesday through 2023, plus free guided tours at 5pm. Expect the site to be busier on these days and times.
The Vienna Secession movement
The Vienna Secession was born at the tail end of the 19th century when a group of breakaway Austrian artists left the traditional Association of Austrian Arts to form a progressive movement together. With Gustav Klimt at the helm, the Vienna Secession fostered a growing contemporary art scene in Austria, displaying works in its own venue designed by one of the movement’s protagonists, Joseph Maria Olbrich.
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