Indulge Your Inner Art Critic in Vienna

The historic capital city of Vienna in Austria is famed for its architectural beauty and is known as one of the most ‘liveable’ cities in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) 2013 Global Liveability Survey. It is also, however, an arts hub, with three art galleries located just within the city’s Museumsquartier.Leopold MuseumThe Leopold Museum is home to one of the largest collections of modern Austrian art in the world. The main works within the museum were produced in the first half of the 20th century and include examples from prominent artists such as Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt.The museum is also known to hold the largest collection of works by Schiele – a major figurative painter in the 20th century. Schiele was a protégé of Klimt and his paintings are seen as an example of early Expressionism, due to the twisted body shapes that characterise his work.Kunsthalle WienThis centre is a must on any visit to Vienna; only ever made up of temporary exhibitions, you never know what great works you may find here. Displaying pieces by local, national and international artists, it has a truly worldwide presence in the arts scene.This gallery has two locations: one in the Museumsquartier, alongside the other prominent galleries of the city, and the other at its original site of Karlsplatz, where the museum began life as a temporary structure that went on to influence the local art scene in Vienna.MUMOKThe Museum Moderner Kunst, meaning the Museum of Modern Art in English, holds a vast collection of 20th and 21st century art including the likes of pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as some renowned works by the likes of Pablo Picasso.Its collection signifies its Pop Art and Photorealist focus and is indebted to its support from the Ludwig Foundation, which donated 230 art works to the museum in the name of the foundation’s namesake, Peter Ludwig, a German industrialist and art collector.The museum sees itself as a very public institution and looks to represent current political and social issues whilst engaging with its patrons. MUMOK is also Austria’s largest museum and looks to make the connection between art history and current art creation through its displays and exhibitions, providing a truly educational facility whilst challenging its visitors.The Museumsquartier in Vienna provides a well rounded experience of both national and international art that both aficionados and the general public would enjoy and learn from.