Ars Electronica Center

The Ars Electronica Center in Linz is a museum of the future that showcases the interplay of art, technology and society. It offers interactive exhibits, immersive experiences, educational programs and events that explore topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, media art and more. The center also hosts the annual Ars Electronica Festival and the Prix Ars Electronica awards, which celebrate the most innovative and creative works in the field of new media art.

Introduction

Imagine a place where you can watch artificial intelligence think, train self-driving cars, program robots, do 3D printing and much more. Imagine a place where you can explore the hidden worlds of nature, science and culture, and discover how they are shaped by technology. Imagine a place where you can experience the visions and creations of artists, scientists and innovators who are pushing the boundaries of human expression and knowledge. This place is the Ars Electronica Center (AEC), the museum of the future in Linz, Austria.

The AEC is the center of the UNESCO City of Media Arts, a network of cities that promote the development and exchange of media arts. The AEC is also the home of the Ars Electronica Futurelab, a research and development facility that collaborates with partners from various fields and sectors to produce cutting-edge projects and solutions. The AEC is not only a place to visit, but also a place to participate, learn and create. It is a place where art, technology and society meet and interact, and where the future becomes the present.

History and Mission

The AEC was founded in 1979 as part of the Ars Electronica initiative, which was launched by Hannes Leopoldseder, Hubert Bognermayr, Herbert W. Franke and Ulrich Rützel. The initiative aimed to create a platform for the artistic exploration of new media and technologies, and to foster a dialogue between art, science and society. The first Ars Electronica Festival was held in September 1979, featuring exhibitions, performances, workshops and lectures on topics such as computer graphics, video art, electronic music and cybernetics. The festival was held biennially at first, and annually since 1986.

The first AEC building was opened in 1996, and was designed by the architects Treusch Architecture ZT GmbH. It was located on the banks of the Danube river, and had a distinctive glass facade that reflected the changing colors of the sky and the water. The building housed the Museum of the Future, which offered interactive exhibits and installations that showcased the latest developments and trends in media art and technology. The building also hosted the Futurelab, which was established in 1995 as a multidisciplinary media arts R&D facility. The Futurelab worked with artists, scientists, engineers, designers and educators to produce innovative projects and prototypes that addressed the challenges and opportunities of the future.

The AEC building was remodeled and expanded in 2009, and was reopened as the new Museum of the Future. The new building was designed by the architects Treusch Architecture ZT GmbH and Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes. It had a larger exhibition space, a state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a striking LED facade that displayed dynamic animations and messages. The new building also featured the Deep Space 8K, a large-scale projection and sound environment that offered immersive and spectacular experiences. The new building also continued to host the Futurelab, which expanded its scope and network of partners and collaborators.

The mission of the AEC is to be a global creative organization that explores the interlinkages between art, technology and society, and to inspire and empower people to shape the future. The AEC aims to achieve this mission by:

Presenting and producing innovative and high-quality media art works and projects that reflect the current and future state of art, technology and society.
Providing a platform and a network for the exchange and collaboration of artists, scientists, innovators, educators and the public.
Offering educational and cultural programs and events that engage and inform diverse audiences and communities.
Conducting and supporting research and development that advance the fields of media art and technology, and address the social and environmental issues of the future.
Recognizing and rewarding excellence and creativity in media art and technology through the Ars Electronica Festival and the Prix Ars Electronica awards.

Exhibitions and Programs

The AEC offers a variety of exhibitions and programs that cover a wide range of topics and themes related to art, technology and society. Some of the current and upcoming exhibitions and programs are:

Compass — Navigating the Future: This is the main exhibition of the AEC, which presents the core topics and projects of the museum. It features interactive exhibits and installations that explore topics such as artificial intelligence, neuro-bionics, autonomous systems, robotics, genetic engineering, biotechnology, and the global changes of our time. The exhibition also showcases the works and visions of the Futurelab and its partners and collaborators.
Being Anton: This is a new exhibition that will open on February 1, 2024. It is a collaboration between the AEC and the Anton Bruckner Private University. It is an immersive and interactive experience that invites visitors to step into the shoes of the composer Anton Bruckner, and to explore his life, work and legacy. The exhibition uses virtual reality, motion capture, 3D sound and other technologies to create a realistic and emotional simulation of Bruckner’s world.
Hidden Worlds: This is an exhibition that reveals the invisible and unknown aspects of nature, science and culture. It uses various technologies and devices to make visible and audible what is normally hidden from our senses and perception. For example, it uses microscopes, infrared cameras, sonification and data visualization to show the microscopic structures of plants, the heat signatures of animals, the sounds of the earth and the patterns of data.
Telegarden: This is an exhibit that connects the AEC with a real garden in California. It allows visitors to remotely control a robot arm that can plant, water and monitor the growth of various plants. The exhibit is a demonstration of the possibilities and challenges of telepresence, teleoperation and telecommunication.
Deep Space 8K: This is a large-scale projection and sound environment that offers immersive and spectacular experiences. It uses 8K resolution, laser tracking and 3D sound to create realistic and stunning images and sounds. It can display various types of content, such as artistic works, scientific visualizations, historical reconstructions, educational applications and entertainment shows.

The AEC also offers various programs and events that complement and enhance the exhibitions. Some of the current and upcoming programs and events are:

Guided Tours: These are tours that provide visitors with an overview and an insight into the exhibitions and the topics of the AEC. They are led by trained guides who can explain and demonstrate the exhibits and installations, and answer the questions and interests of the visitors. The tours are available in different languages and for different age groups and levels of knowledge.
For Families: These are programs and events that are designed for families and children. They include workshops, games, experiments and activities that are fun and educational. They allow families and children to learn and experience the topics and technologies of the AEC in a playful and creative way.
For Educational Institutions: These are programs and events that are designed for schools and other educational institutions. They include workshops, lectures, seminars and projects that are aligned with the curricula and the learning objectives of the institutions. They allow students and teachers to learn and experience the topics and technologies of the AEC in a relevant and engaging way.
Holiday Program: This is a program that is offered during the school holidays. It is a combination of workshops, games, experiments and activities that are fun and educational. It allows children and teenagers to spend their holidays in a productive and enjoyable way, and to learn and experience the topics and technologies of the AEC.

Linz, Austria