Linz reinvented itself as a UNESCO City of Media Arts, and its temple is the Ars Electronica Center - a luminous glass cube on the Danube whose Deep Space 8K hall wraps you in 16-by-9-metre wall-and-floor laser projections at a resolution nothing else in Europe matches. You walk through AI, robotics and bio-art labs you can actually touch, then surrender to immersive flythroughs of the universe or the Sistine Chapel. It is the most distinctive thing you can do without leaving Linz.
What to expect
The Center sits on the Danube's north bank, directly across the Nibelungen Bridge from the old town. Expect a hands-on, lab-style museum where staff demonstrate robotics and neuroscience exhibits in English. Deep Space 8K runs timed shows through the day - check the day's schedule on arrival and plan around it, as it is the unmissable centrepiece. After dark the building's facade becomes a programmable light show.
Good to know
From the Donaupark pier it is a flat 10-15 minute riverside walk across the bridge - no transport needed, ideal for a short call. Open Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mondays, so check your call day. Confirm the Deep Space 8K showtimes at the desk and aim to catch one; that is the reason to come.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Linz — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Linz
- Salzburg old town + The Original Sound of Music Tour with Salzburg Panorama Tours
- Cesky Krumlov + the Baroque Castle Theatre, the best-preserved in Europe
- Wachau Valley by ship + train and Melk Abbey, the Danube's most beautiful bend
- Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut lakes by private car
- Mauthausen Memorial, a sober and essential pilgrimage