Kunsthalle München: A great art experience at the city center
Kunsthalle München: Exhibitions of painting, photography, design and much more
Located at the heart of Munich, the Kunsthalle stages three major exhibitions a year on a variety of themes. With around 300,000 visitors every year, it is one of Germany’s most prestigious exhibition venues.
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Plan your visit to the Kunsthalle
The Kunsthalle München stages three large exhibitions a year on a variety of themes. From painting to design and fashion to photography, there is a lot to discover. The exhibition themes range from Pompeji to Peter Lindbergh.
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 antiquity to the present.
What's special? The architecture of the building in the Fünf Höfe designed by Herzog & de Meuron as well as the often elaborately staged art exhibitions. Plus: On Tuesdays, there's a 50 percent discount on all tickets.
Kunsthalle: The most important information at a glance
- Location: In the Fünf Höfe, between Odeonsplatz and Marienplatz
- Museum category: Art
- Children's program: For each exhibition there is a unique program with guided tours and special events.
- Recommended duration of stay: 1 to 2 hours
- How to get there: All suburban trains or U3/U6 to Marienplatz, U3/U4/U5/U6 or bus 100 to Odeonsplatz, tram 19 to Theatinerstraße
- Parking: Underground parking in front of the opera or in the parking garage at Salvatorplatz
- Website: www.kunsthalle-muc.de/en/
Some recent exhibition highlights:
Between 250,000 and 300,000 guests visit the Kunsthalle München every year. It is one of the most popular exhibition venues in Germany. Art and culture from around the world are presented here in all their glory, whether it be painting, sculpture, graphic arts, photography, fashion or design.
The most important criterion for the selection of an exhibition theme is an outstanding level of artistic quality. Previous highlights have been Thierry Mugler (2021), Samurai (2019), Velázquez and the Spanish Golden Age (2017), Keith Haring (2015) and Dix/Beckmann (2014) as well as the exhibition "JR: Chronicles", the biggest retrospective of the French photo artist JR (*1983) so far.
Guided tours through the exhibitions
The Kunsthalle’s tours can be adapted for different target groups:
- Public guided tours: Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the Munich Volkshochschule (MVHS) offers public guided tours for each exhibition (in German).
- Audioguide: There is a free audio tour (in English or German) you can simply use with your own mobile device (please bring headphones).
- Note: On every third Wednesday of the month the exhibition is open for Afterwork until 10 pm.
- 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 in German 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 school 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 from 9 am to 10 am on Wednesdays (by appointment only).
Shop and Café
The café & restaurant "Theatiner 8" offers a great view of the Hanging Gardens and the special architecture of the building.
The museum's shop features a carefully curated selection of products and gifts matching each exhibition.
Tickets and admission fees
Admission prices at the Kunsthalle München vary per 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, all prices are reduced by 50% 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 techno club Harry Klein join forces to open up new perspectives on art: The galleries are open till 11pm, visual artists create projections inspired by the exhibition and DJs provide a suitable sound till midnight in the cafe area with dance floor.
Digital offers
- At www.kunsthalle-muc.de/en you can virtually experience exhibitions such as "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 and re-designed the entire city block.
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.
Accessibility and offers for individuals with disabilities
All the rooms at the Kunsthalle München are barrier-free. Two elevators ensure access to the exhibition rooms, the store, the café, the checkroom and restrooms.
- Parking spaces for disabled visitors are available nearby: Prannerstraße 7 as well as at Salvatorplatz 2
- An accessible toilet is located directly on the exhibition level.
- Guided tours: Induction loops for group guide systems are available upon request. All exhibition texts and captions are high-contrast, easy to read and also offered in simple language.
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 former Kunsthalle.
In cooperation with the cultural department and the museums
This article about Munich's museums is sponsored by the Cultural Department of the City of Munich and was conceived in cooperation with the State Agency for Non-State Museums in Bavaria. The content has been coordinated between the participating museums and muenchen.de, the official city portal.
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