Many travelers come to Vienna specifically for the high concentration of museums in the city. The major museums in Vienna are incredibly impressive, displaying collections that are unparalleled anywhere in the world.
As you step into these museums, be prepared to embark on a captivating exploration of Vienna’s cultural heritage, with each museum serving as a chapter in the city’s vibrant narrative. Whether you are drawn to classical masterpieces, contemporary art, or captivating historical artifacts, Vienna’s museums stand as a beacon of intellectual and aesthetic discovery, inviting you to delve into the heart of the city’s cultural soul.
In this article, you can read briefly about the best museums in Vienna and also book fast-track entry tickets for some of them. The museums are arranged in descending order from the most popular to smaller ones or those catering to a more specific audience.
The 6 Most Popular Museums in Vienna
The 6 museums on this list are the most popular in the city, and for anyone staying in Vienna, a visit to all six, or at least some of them, is a must.
1. Schönbrunn Palace Museum (Schloss Schönbrunn)
Schönbrunn Palace is a historical site of paramount importance to the city of Vienna, where events such as Mozart’s first concert (at the age of 6) for Maria Theresa took place. Today, the Schönbrunn complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Part of the palace building is open to visitors. You can see the rooms, halls, and splendor that the emperors of the empire enjoyed for centuries. Entry to the palace is possible as part of a tour (guided or with an audio guide). There are two tours in the palace that showcase the lives of the emperors. The Imperial Tour is the most recommended for travelers who do not want to dedicate too much time to the visit. The tour includes a visit to 22 rooms in the palace and focuses on the lives and private apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Sisi.
The Grand Tour of Schönbrunn Palace includes a visit to 40 wonderful rooms and lasts between 50 minutes to an hour.
Tickets for the Imperial Tour:
- Purchase advance tickets for the regular tour
- Purchase skip-the-line tickets including a guided tour
Tickets for the Grand Tour:
2. Belvedere Palace – Museum and Gallery with the Klimt Exhibition
The Belvedere Palace consists of two separate palaces: the Upper and Lower Belvedere. Both palaces rose in the early 18th century during a period of development and prosperity in Vienna, following several victories against the Ottoman Empire.
Towards the end of the 18th century, authorities converted the palace into the Imperial Gallery and transferred various paintings from the Hofburg Palace to display them to the general public.
The Belvedere Palace complex is not only an architectural gem in the heart of Vienna but also a cultural and artistic center that includes several different art exhibitions scattered throughout the complex. Of course, if you just want to admire the impressive palace buildings, you can enter the garden area for free and enjoy the stunning structures. For those interested in art, the galleries in the Belvedere Palace are a must! The palace houses the largest collection of paintings by the famous artist Gustav Klimt, including his most famous work – “The Kiss.”
- Click to book advance tickets for the palace and the exhibition (highly recommended during the summer and winter tourist seasons).
3. Sisi Museum & Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg Palace was the residence of the Habsburg family for over 600 years! Besides its use for official imperial purposes, the palace also served as their winter residence.
Each family member lived in their own apartment or suite in one of the palace’s many wings. Most of the palace wings are now used for various museums and, of course, for the President’s offices, but a small part where Franz Joseph and Sisi lived is open to the public.
The rooms open to the public include the Emperor’s Staircase, bedrooms, study rooms, the salon, reception rooms, the guard room, the dining room, and more. The furniture and household items on display are from the second half of the 19th century, but there are also exhibits from the 18th century, such as the heating stoves.
In the Sisi Museum, located within the Imperial Apartments complex, you will get a rare glimpse into the life of Empress Elisabeth, known as Sisi, from her coronation to her tragic death.
The museum opened to visitors in 2004, and the exhibition includes about 300 items that belonged to Sisi. Among the items are a variety of royal garments, medicines, her travel kit, her milk glass, and even her original death certificate.
More information about the Hofburg Palace and its museums
4. Natural History Museum (Naturhistorisches Museum)
The Habsburg family loved collecting valuables, antiques, and everything related to the natural kingdom. The museum displays exhibits in its 39 exhibition rooms, all part of the Habsburg collections gathered over 250 years! The entire collection comprises about 30 million objects (most of which are not on display).
The museum building includes two floors divided into different exhibition halls. The first floor is divided into several different displays. The first display, located near the entrance, showcases gemstones, minerals, and meteorites (the largest collection in the world). The second display on this floor is of fossils and dinosaur skeletons. The third display on this floor is about the Ice Age. The last display features exhibits on evolution and human development. At the far end of the floor is the new Planetarium building, an observatory where films related to the galaxy and space exploration are screened.
On the upper floor (Hochparterre), there are many displays of taxidermied animals collected from all over the world. Among the animals are numerous insects, terrestrial mammals, and aquatic animals. Some of the taxidermied animals are now completely extinct.
More information about the Natural History Museum
5. Albertina & Albertina Modern
The collection of works at the Albertina gallery is one of the largest and most important in the world. The collection includes about 65,000 drawings and approximately one million old and modern artworks. Among its famous works are pieces like Dürer’s “Hare” and “Praying Hands,” as well as paintings by Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Kokoschka, Picasso, and Rauschenberg.
As part of the permanent exhibition, there are various works reflecting the artistic movements and trends of the last 130 years from all over Europe. The interesting collection recently displayed at the gallery includes modern art by famous artists such as Monet, Picasso, Chagall, and Baselitz.
In a separate building is the Albertina Modern museum, which focuses on artworks from the modern era after World War II.
More information about the Albertina, including opening hours, costs, how to get there, and more
6. Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum)
The largest collection of artworks and antiquities in Austria! The Museum of Art History is one of the most magnificent museums in Vienna, and not just because of the rare artworks displayed within it. It is housed in a grand and large building in Maria-Theresien-Platz in the first district.
The museum has 5 main wings. The central wing is the Picture Gallery, which contains important works from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. As part of the painting display in this wing, there is the largest collection of Bruegel’s works, as well as works by other artists such as Rembrandt. The other museum wings are: the Greek and Roman Antiquities wing, the Coin Cabinet, the Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, and the Kunstkammer (Chamber of Art and Wonders).
More information about the Museum of Art History
9 More Museums in Vienna Worth Knowing
The museums in this section are also excellent, but they are more suitable for those on a longer visit to the city or for those returning for another visit. These museums are also arranged in descending order of their popularity among visitors.
1. The Technical Museum (Technisches Museum Wien)
The Vienna Museum of Technology, is one of the oldest museums in Vienna, established during the time of Emperor Franz Joseph and opened to visitors in 1918.
The exhibits in the museum are unique and cover a variety of technological topics. The displays deal with subjects such as nature, astronomy, physics, mining, consumer products, information and communication technologies, musical instruments, transportation, and more.
In the various displays, you can see, for example, the different machines used in the last centuries in the many mines scattered throughout Austria. Another display presents the world of electricity, with the central exhibit being a singing Tesla coil. The special coil will play various melodies for you, such as “The Blue Danube” by Johann Strauss II or “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple.
More information about the Technical Museum of Vienna
2. Hundertwasser Museum
The renowned architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser built his famous house in the third district of Vienna between 1983 and 1985. He designed the house according to his ideas, so you will not find any straight lines in the building (he claimed that a straight line is the work of the devil). The exterior walls are colorful, the floor is uneven and wavy, the roof is covered with soil and grass, and no fewer than 250 shrubs and many trees grow inside the building, even coming out of the windows. This is his unique style. The house has 53 apartments, 4 offices, 16 private balconies, and 3 shared balconies.
Opposite the Hundertwasser House is another building designed by the great architect. This building was once a tire factory, but it underwent a drastic transformation inside and out between 1990 and 1991. Now called ‘Hundertwasser Village,’ this building serves as a visitor center for those who come to see the masterpiece of the great architect. The architect designed the building like a shopping center with several shops and a bar. A square, known as the village square, lies at its center. The place is open 365 days a year, and entry is free.
More information about Hundertwasser attractions in Vienna
3. Vienna Museum (Wien Museum)
This museum deals with the history of the city of Vienna. Its permanent exhibition includes collections from the various historical periods in which there was an active settlement in the city area. The collections display artifacts from the Neolithic period to the mid-20th century. The focus of the exhibition is mainly the 19th century, and as part of the exhibits related to this period, there are also paintings and artworks by the famous Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.
More information about the Vienna Museum and 20 other museums operated by the City of Vienna.
4. House of Music (Haus der Musik)
The House of Music is the first museum of its kind in Austria. Established in 2000, the museum offers visitors a unique experience that impressively combines a variety of interactive and creative displays related to the world of music – from ancient times, when humans learned to use musical instruments, to the present day. This is a recommended museum for the whole family and is also accessible to people with disabilities!
The museum building itself is impressive as it is located in what was the residential palace of Archduke Charles and where Otto Nicolai, the founder of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, lived. The museum has 5 floors and an inner courtyard. The first four floors are used for exhibitions, and the top floor is used for performances and events.
For an article with more extensive information on the House of Music
5. Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum of Vienna is divided into two branches. One is located in Judenplatz (Jewish Square), and the other is in the Eskeles Palace on Dorotheergasse. In this section, we will focus on the museum in the Eskeles Palace, which is considered the main branch.
This branch of the central Jewish Museum of Vienna focuses mainly on the life of Jews in Vienna before World War II and in the present day. The museum’s exhibitions showcase the richness and diversity of the Jewish community in Vienna until 1938, as well as its revival in recent decades. The exhibitions include artifacts, religious objects, photographs, paintings, and more.
Since 2013, the museum has had a permanent exhibition called “Our City! Jewish Vienna – Then and Now.” This exhibition displays art objects, documents, writings, and everyday items used by members of the community. The exhibition takes visitors from 1945 to the present day. It describes the community’s ongoing struggle to rebuild after the terrible Holocaust and its inability to trust the Austrian governments during this period. The story of the community’s growth is wonderfully depicted with interesting exhibits. You can see how the immigration of Jews from Eastern Europe changed the composition of the community and led it to become what it is today.
For an article with more extensive information on the Jewish Museum of Vienna
6. MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts
The Austrian Museum of Applied Arts is considered one of the most important modern art museums in the world. This museum was founded back in 1863, during the days of the Austrian Empire, and served then as the Imperial Museum of Art and Industry. The museum building is ancient and impressively beautiful, the work of the famous architect Heinrich von Ferstel.
The museum has 8 art exhibitions that include important art objects such as chairs made by the chair designer Michael Thonet, a variety of furniture by Danhauser, works by Gustav Klimt, a collection of Venetian glassware, antique silverware, porcelain, carpets from the 15th century, and also art objects from the Far East.
More information about the MAK Museum
7. Museum of Military History (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum)
The Museum of Military History is considered one of the most important museums of its kind in the world and presents a fascinating history of European warfare over the last 500 years.
The museum divides into 5 areas and presents the history of the Austrian Empire under Habsburg rule from the end of the 16th century until its complete fall in 1918. In addition, a significant part of the museum also focuses on the years of World War II and Nazism from 1938 to 1945. The museum has many exhibits that present the world of war from different aspects such as technology, science, art, and more. You can see various military equipment such as ancient weapons, uniforms, vehicles, cannons, and learn about the many wars that shaped the empire (and led to its fall).
On the first Sunday of every month, admission to the museum is free for everyone. Tickets for other days are only available at the museum.
For more extensive information on the Museum of Military History in Vienna
8. Leopold Museum
The Leopold Museum is located in Vienna’s Museumsquartier. Compared to the other major museums in Vienna, the museum is relatively new. It opened in 2001 and ranks as one of the most intriguing and beloved museums among fans of modern Austrian art. The museum’s collection is one of the largest and includes works by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, and Richard Gerstl.
The exhibits in the museum are actually the private art collection of art lovers Elisabeth and Dr. Rudolf Leopold and include about 5,000 works collected over about 50 years. The displayed pictures by artists like Klimt and Schiele interestingly show the gradual transition from the Vienna Secession and Art Nouveau style to Expressionism.
- You can purchase tickets online on the museum’s website.
- More information about purchasing online tickets – fast track entry.
More extensive information on the Leopold Museum and other museums in the Museumsquartier of Vienna
9. Sigmund Freud Museum
Founded in 1971, the Sigmund Freud Museum presents the life and work of Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. The museum is located in the house where Freud lived for 47 years at Berggasse 19. During the Nazi era, the Nazis forced Freud to flee Austria for London, but his house remained almost as it was (he took some of the furniture with him to London, where it is displayed today).
More information about the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna
What else is there to see in Vienna besides museums?
As you’ve seen from the list above, Vienna has no shortage of magnificent museums, but museums are not all that Vienna has to offer. Throughout the city, there is wonderful nature, exciting attractions, and an interesting culinary aspect. You can use the detailed itinerary we have prepared for Vienna to plan your visit to the city in the best and simplest way.
Besides that, you can read more about attractions in the different districts of the city, a nature trail in the city, the fun Prater Park, and also about recommended coffee houses that the locals love most.
