MAK Vienna — A Museum for Applied Arts and Design

At a Glance

MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) on Vienna's Ringstraße is one of Europe's oldest museums of design and craft. Founded by imperial decree in 1863, it traces the history of useful beauty—from glass and ceramics to furniture and graphic design. Its holdings in Viennese Modernism and the Wiener Werkstätte are unmatched.

Building & History

The Neo-Renaissance main building by Heinrich von Ferstel opened in 1871, modelled on London's South Kensington Museum (today's V&A). After WWII damage and several renovations, MAK expanded in the 1990s into contemporary design, shaping its current identity as a design-forward museum.

Must-See Collections

• Klimt Stoclet Frieze cartoons — nine full-scale working drawings for the Palais Stoclet murals in Brussels.
• Wiener Werkstätte archive (1903–32) — silver, furniture, and textiles by Hoffmann and Moser.
• Thonet bentwood chairs, including the iconic No. 14.
• Asian decorative arts — Japanese ukiyo-e prints and Persian carpets.
• Contemporary design galleries with prototypes from Zaha Hadid, Ross Lovegrove, and more.

Visiting Tips

Each period gallery is staged by a different designer or architect, so a simple walkthrough reveals shifts in taste. Tuesday evenings (after 18:00) bring a reduced €7 entry—popular with locals. The café Salonplafond on the ground floor works as a refined break either before or after your visit. Schwedenplatz tram/U-Bahn is five minutes away.