The Kunst-Werke (KW) is one of the most impressive contemporary art institutions around. Unlike many of its museum counterparts—of which it is not—the KW has no permanent collection, allowing for more innovation, collaborations, commissions and curatorial creativity.

Founded in the early 1990s in a refurbished margarine factory in Mitte, the KW boasts five floors of malleable space and a large courtyard for outdoor projects. Additionally, artist Dan Graham designed the institutes’ impressive glass cafe, Cafe Bravo.

After years of renovations, the KW opened its newly remodeled doors in the fall 1999. In addition to its significant gallery space, courtyard, and cafe, the building houses six artist studios where residencies and other opportunities are available.

The KW has worked closely with PS1/MoMA in New York, the Venice Biennale, and Documenta X. Additionally, in 1997 KW initiated the Berlin Biennale, which has truly allowed for Berlin to be a primary art epicenter on the international art map.