Vienna's MuseumsQuartier Turns 25 with Generation MQ Program

Vienna's MuseumsQuartier (MQ), a 90,000-square-meter cultural complex housed in former imperial stables, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026 under the motto 'Generation MQ'. Originally designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach in 1725, the site became the Imperial Court Stables, then the Fair Palace in 1922, and opened as a cultural quarter in late June 2001 after renovations by Ortner & Ortner. The MQ now hosts over 50 institutions including Kunsthalle Wien, Leopold Museum, and mumok, attracting over 5 million visitors annually, with 1.1 million paying for museum entry. Key attractions include the Leopold Museum (370,000 visits), mumok (204,000), and Halle E+G (88,500). 77% of visitors are domestic, 23% international. New developments include the relocation of the Museum of Austrian History to the MQ, designed by O&O Baukunst, set to open in 2028. The MQ also launched a sustainability strategy 'MQ goes Green' in 2023. Anniversary exhibitions include 'Vision and Resistance' at MQ Freiraum until January 2027, and 'Terminal Piece' at mumok until February 2027, curated by new director Fatima Hellberg. The MQ features 10 dining venues, is open 24/7, and is fully barrier-free.