Free activities in Vienna
On this page, you will find a selection of free activities that you can enjoy during your stay for the RC21 Conference in July 2026 – whether you are already in Vienna on the weekend before the conference starts, have time in between the conference programme, or are staying in Vienna after the conference.
Table of contents (Click to jump directly to the respective section.)
Open-air cinema and film festivals
FRAME[O]UT OPEN AIR CINEMA AT MUSEUMSQUARTIER
Frame[o]ut shows innovative contemporary cinema that is dedicated to a certain motto every year. The theme for 2025 was ‘Disobedience’. It ranges from Austrian and international feature films and documentaries to short films and art films, The event takes place in the Museumsquartier from the beginning of July to the end of August on Friday and Saturday evenings.
FILM FESTIVAL AT RATHAUSPLATZ
At dusk, the town hall square has been filled with the sounds of concerts for more than 30 years during the summer months: the open-air film festival serves up concert recordings of classical music, from opera and ballet to musicals, as well as pop, rock and jazz, to around 2,800 seats in front of the big screen. The musical programme is complemented by a wide range of culinary offerings.
© Photo: stadt wien marketing/Johannes Wiedl
DOTDOTDOT SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Every summer, the Volkskundemuseum hosts the dotdotdot short film festival. In the cosy garden of the baroque Schönborn Palace, the short film programmes offer a variety of perspectives on a specific theme each evening, accompanied by film discussions and workshops, with a special focus on accessibility.
Art and museums
WIEN MUSEUM
The Wien Museum and its collection belong to the people of Vienna. That is why the city offers all visitors to the Wien Museum on Karlsplatz free admission to the permanent exhibition: the narrative of the city’s history begins in the natural environment before settlement and continues to the present day. The offer is complemented by consumption-free zones, a community gallery, workshops and educational programmes for all age groups as well as inclusive programmes.
© Photo: Wien Museum/Lisa Rastl
QUEER MUSEUM VIENNA
The Queer Museum Vienna is a non-profit and self-organised collective that aims to establish a space for Queer culture and art making a strong statement for diversity, inclusion and self-determination. The museum is open from Thursday to Sunday, 2pm–6pm.
VIENNA DISTRICT MUSEUMS
The volunteer-run Vienna District Museums are unique in the world – no other metropolis has a museum for each of its districts. As living places of city history, they tell the story of the past and present of Vienna’s 23 districts and are regular venues for events. Once a year, the Vienna District Museums Day takes place.
KÖR ART IN PUBLIC SPACES
Art in public spaces can be found throughout Vienna in squares, along streets, in parks and underground stations. In the midst of everyday life, people encounter all kinds of contemporary art. Sculptures, paintings, installations, performances, memorials and monuments bring people together in the city’s public spaces, With its projects, KÖR Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Wien (Art in Public Space Vienna) encourages people to approach the city from new perspectives and engage with it.
- Different locations in Vienna
- Click here to visit the website
Theatre, music and dance
VIENNA CULTURAL SUMMER
The open-air stages of the Kultursommer, spread across the entire city, provide Viennese residents and visitors with six weeks of cultural offerings during the summer, with free admission – from music and dance to cabaret. Performances are also held in retirement homes, and children’s festivals offer a colourful programme for the whole family. The Vienna Cultural Summer takes place from July 2nd to August 18th, 2026. Entry to all of the events is free.
- Different locations in Vienna
- Click here to visit the website
© Photo: ImPulsTanz/Liselotte Wimmer
PUBLIC MOVES – IMPULSTANZ
At Public Moves, there will be daily open-air dancing during the ImPulsTanz Festival: more than 100 internationally renowned choreographers and dancers will share their knowledge of everything from yoga to Bollywood dance and hip-hop in free workshops at several locations in Vienna. All ages and levels are welcome.
- Different locations in Vienna
- Click here to visit the website
Science and discourse
COMPLEXITY SCIENCE HUB VIENNA
The Complexity Science Hub (CSH) understands the world as an interconnected, co-evolving system. To better understand its dynamics and interrelationships, the CSH analyses large amounts of data on the economy, migration, health, the climate crisis, urban development and much more. The aim is to gain useful knowledge from big data, create models and make predictions about the future. Regular events bring the research activities closer to an interested audience.
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER FOR CULTURAL STUDIES
The International Research Centre for Cultural Studies (ifk) sees itself as a place for the free exchange of ideas across various academic disciplines such as philosophy, art, history and sociology. Through its events and exhibitions, among other things, the ifk invites visitors to consider different perspectives on socio-cultural phenomena in order to gain a dynamic and more complete picture of our world.
THE INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN SCIENCES (IMW)
The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) is dedicated to social science and humanities research into the multidimensional challenges facing today’s societies. It regularly organises public and freely accessible lectures, debates and conferences, and publishes academic books and articles.