One hundred twenty important art works from the collection of the Berlin art dealer Wolfgang Gurlitt (1888–1965), including paintings and graphic works by Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka, Nolde, Corinth and Pechstein, became the foundation of the collection of the New Gallery of the City of Linz after World War II.

[3] Adding to these holdings, in 1953, Linz made the New Gallery a city museum with an active exhibition and acquisition programs.

From the area of classical modernism the Lentos collection includes important paintings by Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka, Corinth, and Pechstein.

The period after 1945 is exemplified with works and ensembles of international art, including paintings, sculptures and graphic works by Karel Appel, Ernst Wilhelm Nay, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Maria Lassnig, Gabriele Münter, Markus Lüpertz, Arnulf Rainer, Eduardo Chillida, Tony Cragg, Gottfried Helnwein, Sean Scully, Anthony Caro, Valie Export, Elke Krystufek, Ludwig Merwart, and others.

[7][8] Wolfgang Gurlitt's art collection, which the museum purchased in, included artworks that had been looted by Nazis from Jewish collectors.