The Künstlerhaus (next to the Musikverein building) was built between 1865 and 1868 by the Austrian Artists’ Society and has since served as an exhibition center for painting, sculpture, architecture, and applied art. In 1897 some modern artists seceded from the Künstlerhaus and founded the Vienna Secession.

Since 1947 the Künstlerhaus has also managed a film theater. It shows films of artistic interest, but there are also film festivals (Viennale) that regularly take place. Special showings in the form of matinées are a further focus point of the viewing program, as is “Brut Theater” that includes smaller productions.