ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
A globally unique museum of media art in a former munitions factory. Interactive installations, virtual worlds and digital art.
ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe is the only museum in the world dedicated systematically to electronic and digital art. It occupies a listed industrial hall in Karlsruhe's Suedweststadt district, a former munitions factory, and brings together the Media Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, research institutes and a cinema under one roof. This page collects the practical visitor information: opening hours, admission prices, the free Friday afternoon and how to get there.
Opening hours
The exhibitions are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours may differ on public holidays.
- Exhibitions, Wed to Fri
- 10am to 6pm
- Exhibitions, Sat and Sun
- 11am to 6pm
- Exhibitions, Mon and Tue
- closed
- Info desk, Wed to Fri
- 9am to 6pm
- Media library, Wed to Fri
- 10am to 6pm
- Media library, Sat and Sun
- 1pm to 6pm
- Shop
- Wed to Sun 11am to 6pm
Admission
- Standard
- 14.00 EUR
- Reduced
- 10.00 EUR
- Family ticket, two adults with children under 18
- 26.00 EUR
- Children and young people under 18
- free
- Evening rate from 4:30pm
- 8.00 EUR for everyone aged 18 and over
- Fridays from 2pm
- free admission to the exhibitions
What you will see
The ZKM is a museum built for trying things out rather than walking past them. The collection ranges from early computer art through interactive installations to virtual-reality works, and a large share of it invites you to take part. On top of that come the temporary exhibitions, which frequently fill an entire floor.
The building is part of the attraction. The hall was completed in 1918 as a munitions factory, and its concrete structure was deliberately left visible during the conversion. Together with the neighbouring University of Arts and Design it forms an area that feels more like a campus than a classical museum.
When to go
Admission to the exhibitions is free every Friday from 2pm. If your schedule allows it, that is the slot to aim for; the hall is large enough that the crowd spreads out. From 4:30pm on any opening day the evening rate of 8 EUR applies.
Plan around three hours for the Media Museum and the current temporary exhibitions. Children and young people under 18 always enter free of charge, which makes the ZKM one of the cheapest family destinations in the city.
Getting there
The ZKM is at Lorenzstrasse 19, 76135 Karlsruhe, with the main entrance facing Platz der Menschenrechte. It is a few minutes by tram from Karlsruhe main station and from the city centre. Reduced admission is granted with the Deutschland-Ticket, the JugendticketBW and the bwtarif, which is one more reason to arrive on public transport.
In the district
Suedweststadt
A Gründerzeit residential quarter with period buildings, the city park and the zoo close by.
View district hub →Tours & Tickets · GetYourGuide
Tours & tickets in Karlsruhe
Book guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and experiences in and around Karlsruhe through GetYourGuide.
* Affiliate - booking is handled by GetYourGuide. If you book through these links we earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Live from Stay22
Hotels near ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
Current prices and availability within 1800 m.
City Hub Room 22 - mit Balkon - Coffee for free -
1489 m away
56 EUR / night
City Hub Room 23 - mit Balkon - Coffee for free -
1489 m away
56 EUR / night
City Hub Room 24 - mit Balkon - Coffee for free -
1489 m away
56 EUR / night
City Hub Room 25 - mit Balkon - Coffee for free -
1489 m away
56 EUR / night
* Sponsored - booking is handled by Booking.com via the Stay22 affiliate. There is no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit the ZKM in Karlsruhe?
Standard admission is 14.00 EUR and the reduced rate is 10.00 EUR; the family ticket costs 26.00 EUR. Children and young people under 18 enter free. From 4:30pm an evening rate of 8.00 EUR applies (source: zkm.de).
When is admission to the ZKM free?
Every Friday from 2pm admission to the ZKM exhibitions is free. Children and young people under 18 always enter free of charge.
What are the ZKM opening hours?
Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. The exhibitions are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Where is the ZKM Center for Art and Media?
At Lorenzstrasse 19 in 76135 Karlsruhe, in the Suedweststadt district. The main entrance is on Platz der Menschenrechte, next to the University of Arts and Design.
How long do you need at the ZKM?
Allow around three hours for the Media Museum and the current temporary exhibitions. Because many works are interactive, a visit takes longer than in a classical art museum.
Which district is ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe in?
ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe is located in Suedweststadt. A Gründerzeit residential quarter with period buildings, the city park and the zoo close by.
Sources
Prices and opening hours change. We state where the information comes from and when we checked it. The operator's own information is always binding.
- ZKM Karlsruhe, admission prices · retrieved 23.08.2026
- ZKM Karlsruhe, opening hours · retrieved 23.08.2026