Kunsthalle München: Exhibitions about painting, photography and design

Plan your visit to the Kunsthalle

The Kunsthalle München covers a wide variety of art styles and periods: From painting to design to photography, there is a lot to discover. The exhibition themes recently ranged from Walt Disney to Thierry Mugler.

What to see? The Kunsthalle München does not have an art collection of its own, but organizes temporary exhibitions. Therefore, the possibilities are almost unlimited. The topics range from antique arts to the present.

What's special? The architecture of the building in the Fünf Höfe as well as the broad spectrum of themes covered by the exhibitions. Plus: On Tuesdays, there's a 50 percent discount on all tickets.

Exhibition highlights: The range of topics is multifaceted

Between 250,000 and 300,000 guests visit the Kunsthalle München every year. It is one of the most popular exhibition venues in Germany. Artists from all over the world make their glittering appearance here, whether by painting, sculptures, graphics, photography, arts and crafts or design.

The tempory exhibitions range from the prehistory and early history of arts to the immediate present. The most important factor in order to be featured is artistic quality. Previous highlights have been Thierry Mugler (2021), Walt Disney (2009), Auguste Rodin (2007), Helmut Newton (2005) and Toulouse-Lautrec (2005), as well as the exhibition "JR: Chronicles", which ended in January 2023 and was the biggest retrospective of the French photo artist JR (*1983) so far.

But there were also exhibitions about Realism, Orientalism, the royal tombs of the Scythians or the art of Switzerland from seven centuries. The monographic exhibitions and thematic projects regularly change – and also interdisciplinary approaches are covered by the centre.

Guided tours through the exhibitions

Covering a wide range of needs, the Kunsthalle’s tours are suitable for different target groups:

• Public guided tours: Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the Munich Volkshochschule (MVHS) offers public guided tours for each exhibition. 
• Audioguide: There is a free audio tour (in English or German) you can simply use with your own mobile device (please bring headphones).
• Afterwork tours: Every third Wednesday of the month, Kunsthalle München is open until 10 p.m. and the afterwork tours start at approximately 6 p.m.
• Curator's tours: The curators themselves lead tours of the current exhibition on several dates (in German only).
• Private guided tours: The Kunsthalle offers to arrange tours for private groups by art historians or experts from various fields in German or selected foreign languages. Please book in advance.

Children's program and accompanying booklet

For children from 8 to 12, there is a free booklet available at the ticket office that guides them through the exhibition in a playful way. There is also a special tour program including:

• Children's tours during the vacations for kids from 6 to 12 (pre-registration is required to participate).
• Art with Baby: Baby-friendly tours for fathers and mothers with children up to one year of age (several dates per exhibition).
• Special opening hours for school classes: Additional appointments are available for school groups on Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. (booking is required in advance).

Shop and Café

The café & restaurant "Theatiner 8" offers a great view with an interesting perspective on the special architecture of the building.

The museum's shop features a carefully curated selection of products and gifts matching the current exhibition.

Tickets and admission fees

Admission prices at the Kunsthalle München always depend on the respective exhibition. Discounts are available for senior citizens, children and young people, schoolchildren, students, trainees, the unemployed and people with disabilities.

You can check out the prices and buy tickets in advance on the official website. On Tuesdays, only half the admission price is charged (except on public holidays).

Events: club music, afterwork and more

• Lectures & talks with interesting speakers emphasize special aspects about the exhibition's theme.
• AfterworkKH: Enjoy the exhibition until 10 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month and linger on in the café & restaurant Theatiner 8.
• "Re-Act!" Art & Club: For every exhibition, Kunsthalle München and the night club Harry Klein team up on one evening to bring art to life in a new way. The exhibition is open until 11 p.m. and visual artists and DJs play in the Kunsthalle's café until midnight. Afterwards, the party continues at Harry Klein.

Digital offers

• At www.kunsthalle-muc.de/en you can virtually experience the exhibitions "Thierry Mugler: Couturissime", "Body and Soul. Munich Rococo from Asam to Günther" and "You are Faust. Goethe's Drama in the Arts" on a 360° tour.

Architecture: Herzog & de Meuron's award-winning museum building

Kunsthalle München is located on the second floor of the "Fünf Höfe". The Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron designed the architecture of the Kunsthalle München as well as the entire building complex.

The different perspectives that you can catch for example from the Perusahof or the Salvatorpassage, already make the walk to the Kunsthalle special. Also the café and store offer an interesting perspective on the extraordinary architecture of the building. The ensemble in the middle of Munich's old town is an award-winning example of recent architecture in Munich.

History of the Kunsthalle since the opening in 1985

The Hypo-Kulturstiftung (Hypo Cultural Foundation) was founded in 1983 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the former Wechsel- und Hypothekenbank. On June 14, 1985, the Kunsthalle München opened its doors, which was already located between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz.

In 2001, the Kunsthalle moved into its current premises in the "Fünf Höfe", where the exhibition space is about a third larger than in the old Kunsthalle.