Planning a visit to the Austrian capital? Treat yourself to a ticket to one of the world’s most remarkable museums, the Vienna Museum of Art History!
Vienna’s Museum of Art History – or Kunsthistorisches Museum in German – is one of the world’s leading museums of ancient art, earning it the status of a great and remarkable museum not only in Austria, but also internationally. It’s a must-see for all lovers of classical painting and rare antique objects!
In addition to discovering a building of exceptional architecture, you’ll have the opportunity to access some very rich and impressive collections: the Paintings Gallery, featuring masterpieces by the greatest European painters from the 15th to the 18th century, the Cabinet d’Art et de Curiosités, the treasures of the collections dedicated to Ancient Egypt and Antiquity, and the Cabinet de numismatique.
From ancient Egypt to the end of the 18th century, 5 millennia of art history are brought together in this world-renowned museum. So don’t miss a visit to the Vienna Museum of Art History!
Where, when, how and at what price? We explain it all in this article.
A brief history of the Vienna Art History Museum
Photo Credit: Flickr – Alexander Russy
The Vienna Museum of Art History was built to the designs of architects Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, to house the vast imperial collections of the House of Habsburg. Commissioned by then Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I (1848-1916), husband of Elisabeth of Wittelsbach, better known as Sissi the Empress, the museum was inaugurated on October 17, 1891.
The Habsburg family was one of the most prestigious in Europe, and with good reason: all the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire from 1452 to 1740 came from this family. The emperors of the Austrian royal family were art lovers and patrons of the arts, and over the centuries they built up the collections that are housed – even today – in this building in a style largely inspired by the Italian Renaissance.
What to see and do at the Vienna Museum of Art History
The painting gallery
Located on the second floor of the museum, the painting gallery features works dating from the 15th century to 1800, including The Wedding Meal (1568) by Flemish Renaissance painter Bruegel, The Art of Painting (c. 1666) by Dutch Baroque painter Vermeer, The Madonna in the Meadow (1506) by the famous Italian Renaissance painter Raphael, portraits of infantes by Velázquez and other masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, Dürer, Titian and Tintoretto.
The left-hand side of the floor is dedicated to Spanish, Italian and French schools, while the right-hand side is devoted to German, Flemish and Dutch schools.
The Cabinet of Art and Curiosities
The same building also houses the Cabinet d’Art et de Curiosités, or Kunstkammer. Here you’ll find more than 2,200 items, including Habsburg treasures – precious objects from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque – Emperor Rudolf II’s art cabinet, and the Exotica complex. You can also see Benvenuto Cellini‘s famous solid gold Mannerist goldsmith’s piece, the Saliera.
It’s one of the largest collections of its kind in the world!
Other collections
The Cabinet d’Art et de Curiosités shares a floor with two other major collections: the Greek and Roman Antiquities Collection and the Egyptian and Oriental Collection. The space devoted to Ancient Egypt is decorated with huge columns, showcases and wall ornaments, and features the tombs of Thutmosis III and Prince Ka-ni-nisut, among others. For Greek and Roman antiquities, don’t miss the Nagyszentmiklos treasure, or the collection of ancient vases, including the Brygos cup.
The Numismatic Cabinet
Comprising overhalf a million objects, the second-floor numismatic cabinet traces the evolution of coins and medals from their creation to the present day. It is considered one of the world’s largest numismatic collections, and houses some of the rarest and most unique coins. Definitely worth a visit!
Temporary exhibitions
The Vienna Museum of Art History regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, such as one on contemporary art.
The café-restaurant and boutiques
Located in the dome room on the 1st floor, the café-restaurant is the perfect place to take a break for a bite to eat or a drink. All in a pleasant atmosphere.
You can take home a souvenir of your visit, such as jewelry, precious textiles, reproductions or maps, by visiting the boutiques on the 1st floor, in the domed hall, or in the museum entrance hall.
How do I get to the Vienna Museum of Art History?
The magnificent Art History Museum in Vienna, Austria, is located on Maria Theresia Square, right next to the MuseumsQuartier cultural complex. There are several ways to get there:
The metro
- Line U2: « Volkstheater » stop
- Line U3: « Volkstheater » stop
The tramway
- Line D: « Burgring / Kunsthistorisches Museum » stop
- Line 1: « Burgring / Kunsthistorisches Museum » stop
- Line 2: « Burgring / Kunsthistorisches Museum » stop
- Line 71: « Burgring / Kunsthistorisches Museum » stop
The bus
- Line 2A
- Line 57A
- Hop On Hop Off red line: « Kunsthistorisches Museum / Heldenplatz » stop
By car
If you’re planning to visit the Austrian capital by car, whether you’ve chosen to rent a car or have your own, you can park in the Contipark Tiefgarage pay parking lot in the MuseumsQuartier, not far from the museum.
Opening hours & prices of the Vienna Art History Museum
SCHEDULES
- Year-round: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm and until 9pm on Thursday
- June to August: the museum is also open on Mondays
RATES
How much does a ticket to the Vienna Art History Museum cost? The prices are as follows:
- Adult price: €16
- Student rate (under 25): €12
- Over 65s: €12
- Disabled rate: €12
- Free for children and young people under 19
Don’t hesitate to book your tickets online before your visit, to save time on site and avoid any queues!
Good to know
Before we let you visit Vienna’s Museum of Art History and discover its impressive collections, here’s some final information you might find useful:
– Collections from the Vienna Museum of Art History can also be found in the Neue Burg, the Hofburg, Schönbrunn and Ambras castles, the Theater Museum and the Museum of Ethnology.
– Personalized guided tours on specific themes or for children, for example, can be booked in advance.
– The museum is accessible to people with reduced mobility, and wheelchairs are available on site, upon reservation.
– To make sure you don’t miss out on any information about the collections, audioguides are available in French, German, English and Italian. Audioguides commenting on a selection of works are also available in French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Russian and Japanese.
– It is forbidden to eat or drink in the museum.
– Unless otherwise indicated, photography without flash is permitted in the museum.
– Pets are not allowed inside the museum.
– A free checkroom is available in the basement for your personal belongings.