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About Lentos

With a clear, logical building of the first quality, created by the Zurich architects Weber & Hofer, Linz gained a new art museum of international rank in 2003, which is excellently positioned in the urban environment.

The appearance of the building featuring glass and fair-faced concrete is oriented to the best possible presentation of art. The upper floor with its strong daylight orientation houses eleven rooms covering 1600 m² for the permanent collection and a large special exhibition room of roughly 800 m², along with an art cabinet and a reading room. Through the 60 m long, open air vestibule that appears cut out of the building, visitors enter on the ground floor to reach the foyer, cash desk and shop area, the auditorium that seats 250, and the hall for museum education. On the west side of the ground floor there is a cafe-restaurant with an attractive panorama terrace. The expansive basement houses two more exhibition rooms, the library, the depots, workshops, storage rooms and a study hall for graphic arts.

Architectural guided group tours

We offer guided group tours focused on the Lentos‘s architecture. You will learn interesting things about the Lentos‘s location, special features of the building, the thinking of the architects Weber and Hofer and about flood protection.

Adults
Duration 1 hour, € 70 plus admission fees


School groups (free admission)

Duration 1 hour, € 4 per student 

People with a special interest in architecture / professionals

Duration 90 min., € 95 plus admission fee


Booking: +43 732 7070 3614

Chronology

New Gallery of the City of Linz,

Wolfgang Gurlitt Museum,
LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz


1946: Founding of the New Gallery as loan museum in the Main Square (bridgehead building west)

Wolfgang Gurlitt made his private collection available to the city of Linz for ten years at no cost. Following initial provisional operations, the official opening took place in 1948.

1953: Purchase of the Gurlitt Collection”

The city of Linz purchased 76 paintings and 33 graphic works from Gurlitt’s collection (agreement from 14 January 1953) and founded the New Gallery of the City of Linz, Wolfgang Gurlitt Museum” as city museum for modern art.

1979: Relocation of the New Gallery of the City of Linz, Wolfgang Gurlitt Museum to new facilities in Lentia 2000

(Opening: 28 September 1979, approx. 1,200m² exhibition space)

1989: Expansion of the New Gallery in Lentia 2000

(to approx. 1,600m² exhibition space)

2003: Opening of the Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz on the Danube

(Opening: 18 May 2003, approx. 2,700m² exhibition space)
The Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz was built by the city of Linz according to plans by the architects Weber+Hofer, Zurich. The collection holdings, expanded to about 1,500 paintings and sculptures, 10,000 graphic works and 700 photographs through periodic purchases and donations, were relocated to the Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz.

2015: The VALIE EXPORT Archive finds a home in Linz

Linz has acquired the VALIE EXPORT Archive on the basis of a decision passed by a large majority in Linz’s City Council. The living bequest comprises works of art, sketches, drafts, negatives and extensive archival material related to the work of the Linz born artist. Using the VALIE EXPORT Archive as a basis, the City of Linz and its partner institute, the University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz, have agreed to operate an international research center, the VALIE EXPORT Center.

2017: Opening of the VALIE EXPORT Center at the Tabakfabrik Linz

The City of Linz acquired the estate of Linz-born VALIE EXPORT. The artist’s archive is being incorporated into the Lentos collection, which is thus undergoing the largest expansion since the Gurlitt Collection was purchased. In collaboration with the University of Art and Industrial Design Linz, the VALIE EXPORT Center has been operating since 2017 with its location in the former tobacco factory. As an internationally oriented research center, it promotes artistic and scientific engagement with media and performance art.

2020: Purchase of the Zamp Kelp archive

The City of Linz acquires the extensive archive of Günter Zamp Kelp which transfers important works by Haus-Rucker-Co to the Lentos collection. With their works at the interface of art and architecture, the Haus-Rucker-Co group (1967 – 1992) is one of the most important positions in the Austrian post-war avant-garde.

2024: Donation of the Hauser Collection

The Linz entrepreneur Erwin Hauser donates his art collection of around 3,000 works to the City of Linz and Lentos, initially as a permanent loan and later as a gift. The Hauser Collection is one of the most important private collections in Austria and brings together Austrian art from 1850 to the present day.

Directors

Wolfgang Gurlitt

Founding Director from 1953 to 1962

Born 1888 in Berlin, died 1965 in Munich


Walter Kasten

Director from 1958 to 1973

Born 1902 in Halberstadt, died 1984 in Linz


Peter Baum

Director from 1973 to 2003

Founding Director of LENTOS from 2003 to 2004


Stella Rollig

Director from 2004 to 2016


Hemma Schmutz

Director from 2017 to the present

Did you know

The name Lentos is Celtic for located at the bend of the river”; predecessor for the Roman name Lentia” for Linz.

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Awarded the Austrian Eco-Label for Museums
Museen der Stadt Linz

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