02.10.2025 – 22.02.2026
Meat has always been a source of fascination for people. It has always been sought after, but for a long time it was unaffordable for many. It was not until the 19th century that industrialisation made meat accessible to broader sections of the population – at the same time, animals and their processing disappeared from the view of the urban population. Today, meat is the subject of heated debate: for some, it is an indispensable cultural asset, while for others it is an unacceptable burden on animals, the climate and health.
Vienna is an ideal place to explore this history. As early as the Middle Ages, entire herds of cattle were driven here to supply the population – one reason why the city has been said to have a particular fondness for meat for centuries. In the shadow of huge slaughterhouses and countless sausage factories, Vienna also developed into an early stronghold of animal welfare and vegetarianism after 1850. In the meat-hungry post-war period, the schnitzel gave the city its identity, while the debates of recent decades have made it a political issue.
Curated by Jakob Lehne and Sarah Pichlkastner, the exhibition traces the history of Viennese meat from the stable to the plate and beyond, reports on vanished professions and dishes, and sheds light on advertising and gender roles. It links the past with the challenges of the present and asks the question: What will happen to meat consumption in the future?
Meat
02.10.2025 – 22.02.2026
Wien Museum
Karlsplatz 8
1040 Vienna
www.wienmuseum.at
