MUMOK (Modern art museum)

I got many recommendations from my friends to visit the Museum of the modern art - MUMOK, and if you check their website which looks pretty attractive you can guess that it is worthy of paying a visit. Now let me tell you my opinion and experience.

Since I'm working Mon-Fri till 6pm the only day for me available to visit the exhibitions was Thursday. Luckily for me, Thursday is an exceptional day at MUMOK when it's open a bit longer. So have a look at the schedule please:

Monday 2-7pm

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-7pm

Thursday 10am-9pm

The prices are the following:

Normal € 11

Reduced € 8

-Seniors, Groups of 10 or more, Club Ö1, Wien-Karte, DER STANDARD-subscribers

Reduced € 7

-Students up to 27 years of age, compulsory alternative draft, unemployed

and on Thursday from 18-21h it's only € 5. More information about the tickets and opening hours can be found here.

LOCATION & HOW TO GET THERE

MUMOK is part of the Museumsquartier right between U2 Museumsquartier and Volkstheater, it's 10-15 minutes away walking from the City hall (Rathaus), Volksgarten Park, 15 minutes from Karlsplatz and is also linked with Mariahilferstraße. Once you see the building with MQ Museumsquartier on it, go the entrance in the middle and you'll step into the huge yard with several buildings. MUMOK is to your right, a huge modern museum. Climb the stairs and you're there!

THE INTERIOR

Once you pass the rotating doors you'll see to the left place to buy the ticket, right behind a designers' and artists' shop followed by the café, librarz and the administration on the half-second floor. It's all very nice, spacious and modern-looking. What I didn't know (and my eyes didn't register) was that on the paper I was given (floorplan) there was -1 level with some artistics Atelier, -2 had this exhibition of Ulrike Müller and at -3 level there was mumok kino. More of it on their website.

The exhibitions are held on up to 5 floors which can be reached by the stairs or by the several elevators. I could also compare it to our Museum of Modern Art in Zagreb. What I enjoyed more here was that it was much easier to watch and set up the exhibitions, especially on the first two-three floors. It should also allowe groups of visitors to see and observe all the artwork without problems. The walls are white so there is additionally the illusion of the bigger space. And of cleanliness. The restrooms (lounge) are on the last floor.

Now a bit about the current...

EXHIBITIONS:1) Always, Always, Others2) to expose, to show, to demonstrate, to inform, to offer

I had actually no idea what was being exhibited while heading to the museum. But here is what I found. On the first floor there is this Always, Always, Others exhibition.

This exhibitions is about illustrations and paintings respectively. As I found out more on the internet later it was prepared by Manuela Ammer, the works of classical modernism from the Mumok collection. Which means you are going to see lots of experiments, somewhere abstract art but all in all very interesting. I found some names for my own illustrative work as an inspiration. And honestly, maybe because of it, I found it even a bit more interesting then the other exhibition that was on the upper floors. There was another exhibition I have not noticed paralelly being shown there - of Ulrike Müller. Hmm now when I think about it, I missed 2 more exhibitions... well, embarrassing. What I also liked is that at the time (8pm) I was almost alone so "I had all the floor for myself".

Now heading to another floor with the promo-papers in my hands and entering the to expose, to show, to demonstrate, to inform, to offer exhibition.

This exhibition is on display on the floors 2, 3 and 4. There you can find group exhibits with installations, publications, objects, projects, films and invernvetions of more than 50 artists and artists' groups around 1990.

I'll start with what I didn't like much and what you can 'check' within few minutes, if that much even. It's on the 3rd floor and it's called something like Monochrome exhibition. So everything you saw there was all in one color, in green. I mean, you could say it's a good idea or joke. But I didn't come there to watch that. I guess the guy, one of the stuff, sitting there on the chair also found it boring haha. Interesting and fun when you see it but nothing more.

Something that was probably more interesting to check, touch and observe was related ot the use of digital media, some publications including books and newspapers few decades old. It was on the 2nd floor and it's circular so you can see different stuff in every corner.

Here I wished I had a bit more time to even read some of the articles. Just like I wanted on the 4th floor.

And on the 4th and the last floor you could find again lots of publications and one room with books (but couldn't read them, not allowed) and what I found interesting - travel diary and researches of travelers and scientists to Africa and other places making notes and documentary on the life there. You see the baords with some quotes of the people who visited those places and asked the natives what is their opinion of different things that matter in "the West".

Source

All in all, I wish I knew about the other two exhibition that were below the entrance level haha. As for what goes for the seen I'm satisfied, liked the first exhibition maybe a bit more since these displays such as the one you've seen photos of are always risky to visit - it can be very interesting... or very boring... or both - so you have to find something that will satisfy you the most.

I recommend you to visit this museum if you haven't, until the end of january 2016 you have a chance to enjoy 4 exhibitions. And you might find something interesting in the design store after you're done with the exhibitions. I don't know if I'll return to see the other two exhibitions and check the library but you also have them.

I think my favorit so far is still MAK and my next destination will be 'das Belvedere' and the exhibition of Klimt, Schiele & Kokoscha - und die Frauen.

Thanks for reading.