Joanneumsviertel

The basics

The Joanneum Quarter has four sites rolled into one: The Neue Galerie Graz, the Natural History Museum, the Center of Science Activities (CoSA), and the Styrian State Library. This multisite plaza forms part of the bigger Universalmuseum Joanneum collective, which boasts around 20 cultural sites in and around Graz.

If you just want to visit the actual Joanneum Quarter itself, though, it’s more straightforward than it seems. Enter via the main escalator on the Joanneum Quarter plaza, and you have the four sites within easy reach. You can pay to enter them individually, but if you plan to visit more than one, it makes more sense to buy the Joanneum Card, available in 24- or 48-hour format.

Things to know before you go

• The museums of the Joanneum Quarter all have different appeals. Visit the Neue Galerie to view art from the 19th century to the present day; the Natural History Museum for exhibits of rocks, plants, and animals; and the CoSA for technology and natural science exhibits and activities that are aimed at children aged 12 and above.

• Admission to all the sites of the Joanneum Quarter is covered with the Joanneum Card or the Graz Card, which can both be bought to cover a duration of 24 or 48 hours. Both are good options for culture-loving visitors, but the Graz Card also includes public transport.

• The sites of the Joanneum Quarter are considered wheelchair-friendly and barrier-free, and there’s a disabled-access car park on the Kalchberggasse for museum visitors. For more detailed accessibility information, you should contact the sites before your visit.

How to get there

The Joanneum Quarter is in Graz old town (Innere Stadt). If you visit by public transit, take a tram to the Hauptplatz or Graz Congress stop, then walk toward Schmiedgasse. Drivers can leave their cars at the underground parking lot of the Graz Art Museum (Kunsthaus Graz), under the Kastner & Öhler department store via Lenkai.

When to get there

The Neue Galerie Graz, Natural History Museum, and the CoSA are open year-round (including public holidays) from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–6pm. If you want to visit the Syrian State Library, it’s only open by appointment, which you can make directly with the Neue Galerie before your visit.

Café OHO!

For lunch, dinner, and even just drinks near the Joanneum Quarter, consider the onsite Café OHO! On hazy summer days, you can kick back in the shady guest garden of the Lesliehof and escape the bustle of the Joanneum Quarter and downtown Graz. You’ll find the bar-restaurant open Tuesday to Friday from 10am through midnight, and on Saturday from 10am through 6pm. For weekends, reservations are recommended.