mumok – Museum of Modern Art in Vienna

The museum, originally named the Museum of the Twentieth Century, was founded on September 21, 1962. It was initially housed in the Austrian Pavilion from Expo 58, which had been refurbished as an exhibition hall.

The Ludwig and Hahn Collections, acquired in the 1970s, significantly influenced the museum's exhibition and collecting policies. These collections, particularly strong in nouveau réalisme and Fluxus, were housed in a second building, the Palais Liechtenstein, starting in 1979.

The Austrian Ludwig Foundation was established in 1981 by Herta Firnberg and Peter and Irene Ludwig. About a third of the loaned works from the Ludwig collection were transferred to the foundation, with Austria committing to an annual payment for further art purchases.

In 1991, to acknowledge the Austrian Ludwig Foundation's donation of modernist works, the museum was officially renamed Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien. This agreement was part of a contract with the minister of science at the time.

On September 15, 2001, the Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien reopened in a new location within Vienna's MuseumsQuartier. The new building, designed by Ortner & Ortner, features a stone-clad exterior and provides 4,800 m2 of exhibition space.

Today, mumok's collection comprises approximately 10,000 works by about 1,600 artists, covering modern and contemporary art. The collection includes major works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Gerhard Richter, with a recent focus on contemporary photography, video, and film.

Edelbert Köb served as the director of the museum from 2001 to 2010, overseeing the museum during its relocation and establishment in the MuseumsQuartier.

Karola Kraus led the museum as director from 2010 until 2024, continuing its programming and collection development.

Fatima Hellberg is set to become the director of mumok starting in 2025, following Karola Kraus's tenure.