The 10 Best Museums Vienna

Vienna has many things to see and do if you come on holiday to explore it. But without a doubt, one of its biggest attractions is the large number of museums it has. Although it is not one of the largest cities on the continent, there are more than 100 museums.

National history, classical art, modern art, architecture, natural history... In Vienna, you will find a museum to suit your tastes and preferences. That is why in this article, I am going to give you a list of the most popular and important ones so that you can make the most of your visit to the Austrian capital.

Also known as the Kunsthistorisches Museum, this museum has one of the largest art collections in the world, focusing mainly on classical works by the most renowned painters in art history. If you like the works of Velazquez, Rubens or Tizziano, this museum will take your breath away.

Located a few steps from the Imperial Palace, the Museum of Art History was built in the mid-19th century to house all the works owned by the Empire, eventually consolidating itself with the largest Bruegel collection in the world. Over time, its heritage grew, and today it houses a carefully curated and extensive collection of paintings that span the entire history of Western art, and even includes Oriental and Egyptian exhibits.

Practical information

• Price: tickets to the museum cost around €20 and discounts are available with the Vienna City Card and free admission with the Vienna Pass.
• Location: the museum is located on Maria-Theresien-Platz, near the Volkstheater station, which can be reached by underground, bus or tram.
• Opening hours: every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Mondays when it is closed.
• Recommended for: those interested in learning a little more about the history of Western art and seeing original exhibits.

The Albertina Museum is one of the most important museums in Vienna, as it houses a huge collection of paintings ranging from classical works such as Dürer's "The Hare" to studies and sketches by bohemian artists such as Monet and avant-garde artists such as Klimt.

Founded by Duke Albert of Sachsen-Teschen, this museum is part of the south wing of the Imperial Palace, one of the largest royal residences of the Habsburgs. It is notable for its original works by artists of the Modern Age, particularly French Impressionism and the Russian avant-garde. If you are interested in this artistic period, you will undoubtedly be fascinated by the Albertina Museum.

Practical information

• Price: admission to all sections is approximately €25, but you can get discounts with the Vienna City Card and free admission with the Vienna Pass.
• Location: it is located at Albertinaplatz 1, on one side of the Royal Palace. You can get there by bus (Albertinaplatz) or tram (Karlsplatz).
• Opening hours: open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9 p.m.
• Recommended for: all lovers of the modern era, avant-garde art and mid-20th-century European artists.

One of Vienna's most important artistic expressions has been Modernism, and if there is one museum in the city that best reflects this trend, it is undoubtedly the Leopold Museum, a large four-storey building covering almost 5,000 square metres that encompasses much of European modernist art. Its founder, Dr Rudolf Leopold, was a great art lover and managed to collect hundreds of pieces that are now on display to the public.

Among the museum's gems are the large collection of Egon Schiele, as well as original works by Klimt, Art Nouveau and Expressionism. If you want to learn about all the characteristics and examples of Viennese modern art, this museum is ideal and is also one of the most visited in the city.

Practical information

• Price: general admission costs around €15 but is covered by the Vienna Pass and discounts on the Vienna City Card.
• Location: the Leopold Museum is located at Museumsplatz 1, near the Volkstheater underground station.
• Opening hours: it is open every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Recommended for: all tourists who want to visit one of the city's most important museums and see the main examples of Viennese modern art.

If you like visiting museums when you're on holiday but don't always want to see art galleries, I have a museum in mind that won't disappoint you. The Natural History Museum, also called Naturhistorisches Museum, is one of the largest exhibitions of nature and living beings in Europe. With almost 10 million exhibits, this museum aims to have a record of the entire history of the earth.

In its different sections, you can see all kinds of stuffed insects, fossils, extinct animals, and even some that are currently endangered. It also has a valuable collection of objects and tools from the Palaeolithic era, crowned by one of its jewels, the "Venus of Willendorf", which is almost 30,000 years old. This museum is ideal for families, especially if you are travelling with children, as it is quite entertaining to visit.

Practical information

• Price: tickets cost around €15. However, children under the age of 20 can enter for free, and discounts are available with the Vienna City Card.
• Location: it is located on Maria-Theresien-Platz, a few steps from the Volkstheater metro, bus and tram stop.
• Opening hours: open every day from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., except Tuesdays when it is closed.
• Recommended for: people with an interest in natural history who want to see first-hand exhibits from all periods of human history.

Vienna is one of the cradles of European music, having welcomed renowned composers such as Mozart and Beethoven to its streets. In addition, its Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the most important in the world. It is therefore no surprise that it has one of the most interesting and popular museums dedicated to music.

The House of Music is one of Vienna's must-see cultural attractions. Inside, you will not only learn about the history of music throughout the ages, but you will also be able to interact with dynamic exhibitions where you can listen to and learn about music in a different way. It is a fun and educational activity, ideal for families, where you can enjoy the capital's great music.

Practical information

• Price: general admission to the House of Music costs around €15, although there are discounts with the Vienna City Card and free admission with the Vienna Pass.
• Location: the House of Music is very close to the Karlsplatz underground station, specifically at Seilerstätte 30.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Recommended for: families who want to have fun learning about music in an interactive museum.

Are you familiar with Klimt's famous painting "The Kiss"? If you're in Vienna, you're in luck because the original work is housed in the spectacular Belvedere Museum. This collection is located inside a spectacular Baroque building commissioned by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 18th century and currently houses a large part of Klimt's collection as well as works by other renowned artists.

It currently has seven large themed rooms where you can see not only modernist works such as those by Klimt, but also examples from the Middle Ages, the Baroque period and the Neoclassical era. In addition, it has beautiful gardens at the bottom where you can enjoy the imposing façade of the palace.

Practical information

• Price: tickets cost between €15 and €20 and are covered by the Vienna Pass and discounts on the Vienna City Card.
• Location: The Belvedere Museum is located at Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, opposite the Schloss Belvedere tram station.
• Opening hours: open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Recommended for: fans of Klimt's work and anyone curious to learn about Viennese art.

Vienna is the cradle of modern art and culture that has influenced the whole of Europe. But if you want to change the subject and learn a little more about new art, Mumok may become one of your favourite places, as it features works by the world's most revolutionary modern artists, such as Andy Warhol and Yoko Ono.

With almost 9,000 works, Mumok has one of the most important collections of contemporary art on the continent, including photographs, sculptures, films and architectural exhibits. The building itself is impressive, consisting of a huge geometric concrete structure. If you want to see the most significant representations of Futurism, Pop Art, Actionism and Fluxus up close, you will find them all in this museum.

Practical information

• Price: general admission is around €15, but it is covered by the Vienna Pass and you can get discounts with the Vienna City Card.
• Location: this museum is located at Museumsplatz 1, very close to the Volkstheater metro, tram and bus station.
• Opening hours: the museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Recommended for: all lovers of modern and contemporary art who want to see one of the largest collections of European and international art.

It is often thought that art can only be found in galleries and paintings. But haven't you ever been amazed when you saw a façade or a building? Architecture is the perfect balance between science and art, which is why Vienna has dedicated a museum to it, the only one in the whole country, where you can see examples of the limits of architecture and everything it is capable of.

This museum is not only for experts in the profession, but for anyone who wants to learn a little more. And I assure you that you will be surprised, as you will find examples as curious as the proportions of a Barbie doll or the structure of a Lego constriction. Without a doubt, this is an educational and interactive museum that stands out from the more classic museum tours in Vienna.

Practical information

• Price: the general price is around €10, which can be reduced to around €5 with the Vienna City Card discounts.
• Location: located in MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1, near the Volkstheater station.
• Opening hours: open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Recommended for: anyone looking for a different kind of museum and to learn more about architecture.

The Imperial Palace is a huge complex and a must-see in Vienna. Of course, it would be crazy to try to see everything at once. That's why, if you want to make the most of your visit, I recommend going to one of the rooms you can't miss: the Empress Sissi Museum.

Elisabeth of Bavaria, more popularly known as Empress Sissi, was the last empress of Austria, and her tragic death aroused the curiosity of many, making her the subject of a cinema phenomenon in the 1950s. But above all, she was a controversial woman who left a great legacy during her time in the Empire.

Her museum is one of the jewels of the Hofburg Imperial Palace and houses all kinds of engravings of Sisi, as well as reproductions of jewellery, photographs, paintings showing her slender figure and even the dress she was wearing when she was attacked in Geneva, which ultimately took her life. If you are interested in Vienna's imperial past, you will enjoy this museum.

Practical information

• Price: you can access it with the general admission ticket to the Imperial Palace, which costs around €20.
• Location: the museum is located inside the Imperial Palace, at Michaelerkuppel, 1010, near the Herrengasse underground station.
• Opening hours: daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Recommended for: anyone who wants to learn a little more about Austria's imperial history and the historical figure of Elisabeth of Bavaria.

More than 50 years ago, Vienna became the setting for one of the most important films of the time, The Third Man. It shows the devastation left by World War II and the division of the city by the Allies. This film was so significant for the history of the city that a themed museum focusing on that period has been created.

The Third Man Museum is designed not only for fans of the film, but also for those who want to learn a little more about what Vienna was like in the 1950s and how it experienced the ravages of war and the division of the city. Its 13 rooms display both parts of the original cast of the film and real objects from everyday life at that time.

Practical information

• Price: the price is usually around €10.
• Location: this museum is located at Pressgasse 25, near the Kettenbrückengasse underground station.
• Opening hours: the museum is open every Saturday from 2 pm to 6 pm.
• Recommended for: all film lovers and people interested in learning more about post-war Vienna.

Vienna is a city brimming with culture. From the Middle Ages to the present day, the city is full of monuments and museums from every artistic period. That's why, if you're coming on holiday to the Austrian capital, you should know that many of the must-see attractions are museums.

In Vienna, practically all museums charge an entrance fee, so if you intend to visit more than one or two museums during your stay in the city, we recommend purchasing the Vienna Pass, a card that will save you money and give you access to the vast majority of museums in Vienna.

It costs around €80 but gives you access to more than 60 tourist attractions, including practically all of the city's museums.