The Austrian Film Museum, located in Vienna, was founded in 1964 by independent filmmaker Peter Kubelka and film enthusiast Peter Konlechner. Dedicated to preserving and presenting film as both a significant art form and a crucial historical source, the museum quickly gained international recognition, joining the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and establishing its permanent home in the Albertina building by 1965. A unique and immersive feature is the "Invisible Cinema," conceptualized by Kubelka and opened in 1989, which provides a black-in-black screening room designed for maximum concentration on the cinematic experience.
The institution's global standing was affirmed when it received the Austrian Museum Awards Honorary Prize in 2005, being recognized as one of the world's best in its field. Following the founders' retirement in 2001, Alexander Horwath served as director from 2002 to 2017, expanding programming, collection, and restoration efforts, before Michael Loebenstein took over in October 2017.