Viennese Actionism is regarded as Austria’s most important contribution to the international post-war avant-garde movement, as well as the most important, but often also the most controversial domestic art movement post-1945. This is because Viennese Actionism involved a radical and stirring artistic examination of the state, church and society in Austria in the 1960s and 1970s. It explores the human body and its psyche without inhibitions. In terms of art history, four Viennese artists are recognized as protagonists of Viennese Actionism: Hermann Nitsch, Günter Brus, Otto Mühl and Rudolf Schwarzkogler. Incidentally, the term Viennese Actionism was not coined by the group itself, but later by the artist Peter Weibel.

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The Viennese Actionism Museum, which opened in spring 2024, is the result of an initiative spearheaded by private art collectors who have acquired the largest collection of works of Viennese Actionism. It includes paintings but also comprises photographs, films, sketches and illustrations of the performances, which were mainly staged by the four main representatives to great public acclaim. The collection consists of works created between 1957 and 1973, with the 1960s as the core period. A small part of the 17,000-strong collection is presented in temporary exhibitions (1-2 per year) across two floors and a total of 900 square meters. 

The museum presents Viennese Actionism as a multi-layered and multi-faceted art movement whose protagonists have their own unique styles. It is important to emphasize that Viennese Actionism was not only radical, but also had enormous artistic quality. The museum offers a wide-ranging educational program to inform visitors about the movement. There are plenty of guided tours, a digital guide and museum staff on hand to answer questions.