Welcome to Vienna, the perfect destination for every art, history, and music lover. Why? Vienna offers more than 100 museums, one of the world’s most famous opera houses, the apartments of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Liszt, and dozens more. In this guide, we will discover Vienna’s museums; the city’s must-visit museums that helped me understand the culture and history of Vienna and Austria.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Our Guide to Top Museums in Vienna
Albertina
What to Know
The Albertina is one of the world’s most famous art museums. It has a permanent exhibition of the greatest painters: Picasso, Monet, Klimt, René Magritte, and dozens more! The Albertina also features temporary exhibitions that change every couple of months.
My first visit to Albertina at the age of 14 sparked my life-long love for art and museums.
If you are wondering why it is called “Albertina”: A duke named Albert Casimir took over the building and moved his art collection there. It was renamed Albertina in 1921.
What to See
In general, you should see everything! But for those who do not want to be in a museum for hours, I recommend seeing Picasso, Monet, and Magritte, as they made the most famous and memorable paintings.
If walking around the paintings made you hungry, cross the street and grab some food at the Café Mozart, or head over to the Sacher Hotel and try the world’s most famous cake, the Sacher-Torte.
Museum Info
- Booking online might not save you much time because you can’t choose a time slot.
- Prices: Tickets cost €20 or $22 for adults, €16 or $17 for seniors (over 65) and young adults (under 26). Children under 19 enter for free.
- The tickets are valid for one year from the moment you purchase them, so you can book whenever you want. You can check their website to view the current temporary exhibitions.
- Want a less crowded experience? start your visit at opening time or two hours before closing. Monday to Thursday are the least busy.
(Photo by Pham Ngoc Anh on Pexels.com)
Kunsthistorisches Museum
What to Know
The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art Historical Museum) is the largest in Austria and one of the most important in the world. Why? because it houses historical findings from ancient Egypt and modern times artworks. It offers paintings of Titan, Raphael, Vermeer, Bruegel (the largest collection in the world), Rembrandt, and many more. It is a must-visit for every art and history enthusiast.
What to See
The Egyptian collection, although small, will take you through the life and culture of the era. The Greek & Roman Antiquities are a must-see, too. It features Greek and Roman sculptures, jewelry, and more exciting ancient art. I also recommend seeing the amazing Picture Galleries that feature The Tower of Babel.
If you want to see everything worth seeing, you may consider splitting your visit into separate days to make sure you can do it without killing your legs.
Museum Info
- Book online to save time at the counter.
- Prices: Adult tickets cost €21 or $23 and €18 or $20 for seniors (over 65). Children under 19 enter for free.
- Although you cannot choose a time slot when booking, it’s recommended to book one day in advance.
- For a quieter experience, start your visit an hour after opening time or three hours before closing. Monday to Thursday are usually the least busy.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Mozart Haus Vienna Museum
What to Know
Mozart lived in Vienna for 10 years, 3 of them in this apartment. The museum is the apartment itself, presenting multiple exhibitions of his compositions, including the famous Don Giovanni, letters, and paintings.
The Mozart Haus Vienna Museum has a special exhibition called “Mozart at The Dining Table” which is arguably the most important there. It shows Mozart’s human side of eating and drinking in an often funny and interesting way.
What to See
The first and second floors are the most interesting, showing his work and apartment. Visit the shop if you want Mozart-branded mugs, pencils, chocolates, and everything brandable.
If you’re interested in a concert, there are 4 a week, on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – at 18:30.
Museum Info
- Booking online is recommended
- Prices: Adult tickets cost €14 or $15 and €10 or $11 for seniors (over 65) and students. Children under 19 pay €4.5 or $5.
- You can book on the day of the visit. The ticket is valid for one year from purchase.
- For a less populous experience, start your visit an hour after opening time or three hours before closing. Sunday through Tuesday are usually the least busy.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Belvedere Palace
What to Know
The Belvedere Palace is a s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is divided into two parts: The upper Belvedere, the more famous part that houses some of the world’s greatest paintings (which I will cover later). The Lower Belvedere has a smaller but more diverse collection, including contemporary art. The two parts are connected by the beautiful and famous baroque gardens that for me are the real reason to visit the palace.
What to See
The most famous painting in the Upper Belvedere is The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. Why? I am not sure. But you know what they say – art is subjective. I recommend visiting the entire first floor; that way, you can see The Kiss, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, the hilarious Character Heads, and hundreds of more famous pieces by famous artists.
Museum Info
- Booking your tickets online will save you a lot of waiting time and money. Prices are up to 15% lower when booking online.
- Online prices: A Regular ticket is €18.60 or $20, and a senior (over 65) and student (under 26) ticket is €15.10 or $16. Children and youth don’t need to pay.
- Be sure to book at least 2 days in advance so you can choose the most comfortable time slot for your visit. If you miss your time slot by more than 10 minutes, you may not be allowed to enter.
- Start your visit at opening hour, or two hours before closing. Monday to Wednesday are the least crowded.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Schönbrunn Palace
What to Know
The Schönbrunn Palace is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of my favorite places in Vienna, and one of the top museums in Vienna. Besides the great museum, it features huge and beautiful gardens that might remind you of those in Belvedere. They go all the way up a steep hill and reach an amazing sightseeing point looking over Vienna called Gloriette.
The museum offers a peek at what imperial life looked like and the history of the Austrian monarchy. You can walk around the Imperial apartments and halls, including Franz Joseph’s and Sisi’s apartments.
What to See
I recommend starting with the museum first because it is located before the Gloriette. Walking around imperial apartments might sound boring, but trust me, they are beautiful and look like palaces in the movies.
When you are done with the museum, I highly recommend walking through the gardens up the hill to the Gloriette. You will find one of the best views in Vienna.
Museum Info
- Prices are the same for booking online and on-site, but you should still book your tickets online to minimize time standing in line.
- Prices (as of this writing): State Apartments (the most basic ticket) tickets cost €22 or $24 for adults and €14 or $17 for children from 6 to 18. Children under 6 enter for free. A Gloriette ticket for ages 6 and above costs €5.5 or $6.
- I recommend booking at least one day in advance to make sure all the time slots will be available. Be sure to get there on time, or they won’t let you in.
- Start your visit one to two hours after opening, or three hours before closing. Monday to Wednesday are the least crowded.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Museum of Military History
What to Know
This museum offers a huge exhibition of weapons, guns, tanks, battleship models, paintings, medals, and everything a history savvy would love to see. It even houses the car in which Franz Ferdinand was assassinated – the event that started World War 1. The building itself has an interesting history and is quite an artwork itself.
What to See
Start going through the entire exhibition hall, which will take you around 30 – 45 minutes. If you’re up for it, you can go outside and take a look at the tanks and battleships exhibition.
Museum Info
- Booking online is not possible.
- Prices: Adult tickets cost €7 or $8 and €5 or $5 for seniors (over 65). Children under 19 enter for free.
- Admission is free for everyone on the first Sunday of every month!
- Start your visit an hour after opening time or up to three hours before closing. Monday to Thursday are usually the least busy.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
More Interesting Museums in Vienna for Art Lovers
Here are 3 of the most beautiful pieces of art across the city:
Hundertwasser Museum
This building, built by the famous artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, was built with a mindset that said – “straight line leads to the downfall of humanity.” You will not find any straight lines there.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Burggarten Mozart Monument
The beautiful Mozart statue was unveiled in 1896 and was relocated to Burggarten Park in 1953 where it stands until this day. A must-visit for music enthusiasts!
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Heldenplatz
The Heldenplatz, or Heroes’ Square, was built in the early 18th century. The statue in the picture is of Prince Eugene who was a general and diplomat. The Heldenplatz is 5 minutes of walking to the center of the old town.
(Photo by Aviv Barkai)
Your Guide to Museums in Vienna
Visiting these museums in Vienna will help you get your head around and grasp Vienna’s extremely rich culture. It might take more than a single visit to the city for that to happen. But, as the song goes, Vienna waits for you!
For More:
- Vienna Tourism Bureau
- Austrian Tourism Bureau
- On our site: more on Vienna
-Photos by Aviv Barkai, except as credited. Cover photo by Pham Ngoc Anh on Pexels.com.
