aventuro Back to map A
Museums #3 in Linz

Ars Electronica Center

4.5 · 6,528 reviews
Intellectual, experimental, and futuristic.
Ars Electronica Center, Ars-Electronica-Straße 1, 4040 Linz, Austria
Interesting facts
1

The building's LED facade is capable of displaying 16.7 million different colors.

2

The Deep Space 8K theater uses laser-tracking systems to enable real-time interactive navigation of 3D environments.

3

The facility includes a 'BioLab' where visitors can experiment with DNA extraction and microscopic observations.

4

The museum serves as the year-round base for the Ars Electronica Futurelab, a creative research group.

5

The facade's lighting system was updated in 2009 to its current interactive LED configuration.

6

The center regularly hosts 'Machine Learning' workshops that allow visitors to train custom image recognition models.

Overview

The Ars Electronica Center serves as a laboratory and museum dedicated to the intersection of art, technology, and society. Its exterior facade, known as the 'Spaxel,' consists of 40,000 LEDs that create large-scale light installations visible across the Danube. The venue houses Deep Space 8K, a projection environment featuring 16-meter-wide wall and floor projections in high resolution. The facility functions as the headquarters for the Ars Electronica Festival and the Prix Ars Electronica competition. Permanent exhibitions focus on artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and bio-laboratories. Interactive installations allow visitors to engage with climate data visualization and human-machine interaction. The building architecture itself acts as a permanent laboratory for urban lighting concepts. Research conducted on-site frequently focuses on the future of work and the digital transformation of society.

Photo spot

From the Nibelungenbrücke bridge during twilight for a full view of the LED-illuminated facade reflecting on the Danube.

Insider tips

Prioritize attending a guided demonstration in Deep Space 8K, as these are time-scheduled and provide the most unique visual experience.

Check the daily program at the lobby kiosk upon arrival to identify specific live workshops or artist talks.

Plan your visit to coincide with one of the interactive 'highlight' tours for deeper context on the complex technology displayed.

What to avoid

Missing the scheduled Deep Space 8K sessions, as entry is generally managed by show times.

Good to know

Closed on Mondays.

Plan your visit
Typical visit
2.5-3.5 hours
Best time to visit
Weekday afternoons for fewer crowds or evenings to experience the LED facade illumination.
Address
Ars Electronica Center, Ars-Electronica-Straße 1, 4040 Linz, Austria
48.310, 14.284
Get directions
Details
Key exhibitsDeep Space 8K, BioLab, AI x Music exhibition, Understanding AI

Frequently asked

Plan for about 2.5-3.5 hours to see the highlights.

The best time to visit is Weekday afternoons for fewer crowds or evenings to experience the LED facade illumination..

From the Nibelungenbrücke bridge during twilight for a full view of the LED-illuminated facade reflecting on the Danube.

Close by you'll find Linz’s main square, New Cathedral, Schlossmuseum Linz.