State Gallery of Lower Austria, Art museum in Krems, Austria
The State Gallery of Lower Austria (Landesgalerie Niederösterreich) is an art museum in Krems-Stein, part of the Kunstmeile Krems. Its zinc-shingled cube, designed by Marte.Marte Architects, twists on its axis like a figura serpentinata, creating hyperparabolic walls. Inside, 3,000 m² of exhibition space spans five levels, with curved walls continuing the exterior's torsion.
In April 2014 the Lower Austrian government decided to build a museum for the province's art collection, choosing Krems as the site. The design by Marte.Marte Architects won a two-stage EU-wide competition in April 2015. The groundbreaking took place on 5 June 2016, and the building was completed in December 2018; the opening ceremony was held on 25 May 2019 in the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche.
The gallery showcases artworks that reflect contemporary artistic practice across Austria and Europe, revealing what artists today are exploring and creating. You can see how different styles and approaches respond to modern life and social questions.
The gallery stands on the Kunstmeile Krems in Krems-Stein, next to the Kunsthalle, the Karikaturmuseum and the Minoritenkirche. Exhibitions occupy five levels with 3,000 m² of floor space; the terrace looks out over the Danube to Stift Göttweig and the old town of Stein. The building is clad in zinc shingles and its walls curve inward, so allow time to walk around it as well as through it.
During excavation for the museum, workers found a clay vase, a wooden paddle and dozens of wooden posts from a bank reinforcement, pointing to a former harbour site. The vase is displayed in the House of History at the Museum of Lower Austria.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,762 contributors worldwide.
