Vienna's Historic Palaces House a New Wave of Cultural Institutions

Vienna's cultural landscape is being reshaped by the opening of two major private institutions in historic palaces: the philanthropic foundation Phileas and the Heidi-Horten-Collection, which claims to be the world's richest private collection of modern art. Phileas, founded in 2016, opened an exhibition space in May near the Academy of Fine Arts, while the Heidi-Horten-Collection inaugurated on June 3 with the exhibition 'Open'. The city also sees the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts under new director Lilli Hollein, who is the first woman to lead the museum in its 150-year history. Hollein plans to expand the museum's focus on fashion, diversity, and urban engagement. Other notable venues include the Haus der Musik, which offers interactive sound experiences and a new Sonotopia Universe installation, and the Mozarthaus, where Mozart lived from 1784 to 1787 and composed works like 'The Marriage of Figaro'. The Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, 60 km from Vienna, showcases the family's art collections and wine history, with a current exhibition on Princess Melinda Esterházy. The nearby Sankt Margarethen quarry hosts opera performances, including Verdi's 'Nabucco' in 2022. The article also highlights the Café Arabia exhibition at the Jewish Museum Vienna, running until October 23, which explores the history of Italian-style coffee bars in Vienna, initiated by Alfred Weiss after his return from exile.