Vienna is dwelling to quite a few world-class museums providing a singular expertise and perspective on artwork, historical past, and tradition. On this article I’m presenting you one of the best museums to go to in Vienna. As I confirmed you in earlier articles, I’ve a particular place in my coronary heart for Vienna and for a few of its greatest points of interest.
This text goes past these few museums I offered already and goals that will help you choose one of the best museums in Vienna primarily based in your preferences.
I’m together with on this article Vienna’s greatest museums from numerous domains so that you could discover what to incorporate in your Vienna itinerary for every new go to to town.
Professional tip: Make sure that to test the official website of every museum to seek out out if there are days with free admission or if, in some unspecified time in the future, they’re closed for renovation.
Professional tip: attempt to plan your itinerary upfront relying on how a lot time you need to spend at every museum. Additionally, strive to decide on museums which might be shut to one another to spend much less time between them.
Professional tip: learn rigorously the foundations, at every museum. A few of them do now mean you can take photographs, for example (Liechtenstein Museum is only one instance).
One other essential notice: you will notice that a number of the museums on this listing are additionally palaces (a few of them with extra actions and points of interest than simply the museum.) I included them due to their museums and as they’re well-known points of interest in Vienna too, as you will notice. A few of them are already offered on this website, so you will notice hyperlinks to extra detailed articles.
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (Artwork Historical past Museum in Vienna)
This museum is dwelling to an intensive assortment of artwork and artifacts from the Habsburg dynasty, together with works by well-known artists resembling Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, and Vermeer. That is certainly one of my favorite locations to go to in Vienna, and if you’re an artwork lover, put together to spend right here no less than half a day!
There may be additionally a group of cash and maybe different non permanent exhibitions. Once I visited there was an enormous gold coin exhibited.
Schönbrunn Palace + Youngsters’s Musem + The Orangery Backyard + The Privy Backyard + The Imperial Carriage Museum + Sisi Museum
Schönbrunn Palace is a well-liked vacationer vacation spot in Vienna and it was the primary palace I visited. There are such a lot of issues to see and do right here that you’ll love!
The palace has many rooms open for the general public – we booked a guided tour and didn’t remorse it as we realized lots!
There’s a maze, the well-known Privy Backyard (wonderful through the late spring, summer time, and early autumn!) plus particular museums right here – Youngsters’s Musem, The Imperial Carriage Museum, and The Orangery Backyard. You may as well take a extra complete cross that can embody Sisi Museum as properly! The Sisi Museum is devoted to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also called Sisi, and it shows her private belongings, portraits, clothes, and jewellery.
If I had been to offer all of the wonderful issues to see right here, this may change into an unlimited article, as I’m telling you, this palace is a treasure in Vienna! Don’t miss it!
Vienna Technical Museum
Imagine it or not, we spend MANY hours right here – virtually a day! Vienna Technical Museum showcases the historical past of expertise, with reveals on transportation, vitality, and communication. The very best half? There are various interactive pannels – we liked them! The museum additionally has a planetarium and an interactive youngsters’s space.
Belvedere Museum
The Belvedere Museum consists of two Baroque palaces and homes a formidable assortment of Austrian artwork from the Center Ages to the current day, together with works by Gustav Klimt (the well-known Kiss portray is right here!, in addition to Judith I) and Egon Schiele. We took an audio information and realized a lot!
The Liechtenstein Museum
The very first thing I need to inform you concerning the Liechtenstein Museum is that you just can’t take photos right here. You should have what to admire (each the everlasting exhibition and the non permanent ones are wonderful), however you can not take photos. However you should purchase souvenirs – together with some with lots of the reveals included.
The Liechtenstein Museum is a vital artwork museum in Vienna, although I admit I didn’t see it as being as promoted as different artwork museums. However I’m glad we visited it!
The museum showcases the artwork collections of the Home of Liechtenstein, one of many oldest noble households in Europe, and has an intensive assortment of Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical artwork, together with works by well-known artists resembling Peter Paul Rubens, Raphael, and Rembrandt. The museum additionally has a group of ornamental arts, together with porcelain, glass, and silverware. The Liechtenstein Museum is a must-visit for artwork lovers and provides a singular perception into the historical past and tradition of Austria.
Naturhistorisches Museum Wien – Pure Historical past Museum in Vienna
One other museum the place you may be taught lots is the Pure Historical past Museum in Vienna. This museum has an unlimited assortment of pure historical past specimens, together with fossils, minerals, and taxidermy animals. Like many different museums with the identical subject. the museum additionally has reveals on human evolution and the historical past of the Earth.
Schmetterling Haus – Butterfly Home
A particular, attention-grabbing museum is the Schmetterling Haus – Butterfly Home. Why is that this a singular and widespread museum in Vienna? As a result of right here you may see dwell butterflies!
The museum is devoted to butterflies and different unique bugs. It’s positioned within the heart of town and supplies an opportunity to look at a whole bunch of butterfly species from everywhere in the world in a pure habitat. The museum has a tropical greenhouse, which is dwelling to many alternative plant species that function the pure habitat of the butterflies.
Visiting Schmetterling Haus – Butterfly Home will provide you with the chance to be taught concerning the life cycle of butterflies and observe them of their completely different phases of growth.
The Museum of Artwork Fakes
In case you’ve ever learn an article or seen a film about an artwork forgery, then this museum is an unmissable museum in Vienna.
The Museum of Artwork Fakes has a group of pretend artworks, together with works that had been as soon as considered real.
The Lipizzaner Museum
Vienna (and Austria) is legendary for the Lipizzaner horses. This museum is positioned within the stables of the Spanish Driving Faculty and has reveals on the historical past and breeding of the well-known Lipizzaner horses.
The Globe Museum
One other distinctive museum in Vienna, however one positively value a go to! The Globe Museum has a group of globes from all over the world, together with vintage globes from the sixteenth century.
The Austrian Museum of Folks Life and Folks Artwork
I like to go to people artwork museums once I journey (simply as a lot as I like taking my mates who go to Romania to the museum on the identical subject we now have.)
Because the identify suggests, the Austrian Museum of Folks Life and Folks Artwork showcases the standard crafts and cultural traditions of Austria, with reveals on people costumes, music, and regional handicrafts.
Haus der Musik
Haus der Musik – Home of Music – is an interactive museum devoted to the world of music, with reveals on the historical past of Viennese music and well-known composers resembling Mozart and Beethoven. It is without doubt one of the greatest locations for youths in Vienna – however it’s enjoyable for adults alike.
The museum additionally has interactive reveals the place guests can create their very own music.
And talking of music, Vienna is dwelling to many memorial homes or museums devoted to well-known composers. Let’s uncover them subsequent after which extra museums.
Haydn Home
I bear in mind having enjoyable in highschool when studying concerning the Shock symphony (no. 94). There may be a lot to be taught from these days!
This museum is positioned within the former dwelling of the well-known composer Joseph Haydn and options reveals on his life and work. The composer spent right here his final 12 years. The home was in a village subsequent Vienna, now a part of town!
The Beethoven Museum and the Pasqualati Home
Beethoven spent 35 years in Vienna – and this left a mark on town. The Beethoven Museum, positioned at Probusgasse 6 in Heiligenstadt, within the nineteenth district, is without doubt one of the must-visit museums in Vienna for music lovers.
The museum has a small backyard – nice to spend a couple of minutes, no less than, through the summer time -, and lots of attention-grabbing gadgets within the obtainable rooms. You possibly can see many particular gadgets right here – together with a system he used to amplify the sound of the piano. There may be even a tool that can mean you can see how he heard (and there’s additionally the textual content of his letter to his brother when he realized that there isn’t a treatment for his deafness.)
There may be additionally a home, the Pasqualati Home, the place Beethoven lived for 8 years, that may be visited.
Mozarthaus Wien – Mozart Home Vienna
Mozart – one other well-known composer with hyperlinks to Vienna. He additionally has a museum – the one
This museum is positioned within the former residence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – the one one which survived by means of time. The museum is a superb expertise for adults and youngsters (there are free enjoyable audio guides for them). You possibly can see the residence, but in addition rooms with essential gadgets associated to the composer’s life and work that can mean you can be taught extra about him and the interval he lived in.
Johann Strauss Condo Museum
What will be extra rewarding for a waltz/basic music lover than visiting the Johann Strauss Condo Museum?
That is the place the place he composed the well-known Blue Danube waltz! Clearly, the museum goes deeper than that into the lifetime of the composer!
Arnold Schönberg Middle
This heart is devoted to the life and work of the composer Arnold Schönberg, who was a key determine within the growth of recent music. He created the twelve-tone methodology (and certainly one of his concert events ended up in a riot, being later often called the Slapping live performance.)
If you wish to be taught extra about this complicated persona – he was not solely a composer but in addition a painter, an inventor, and extra – then a go to at this heart is a should!
Sigmund Freud Museum
Subsequent on this listing of greatest museums to go to in Vienna is the one devoted to Sigmund Freud, a reputation that wants no introduction!
The Sigmund Freud Museum is positioned in his former residence and provides a glimpse into the lifetime of the founding father of psychoanalysis.
In reality, that is without doubt one of the nice issues that I really like about museums devoted to well-known folks (not solely in Vienna however all through the world): having the ability to see the place they lived, how they lived, who they had been past what made them well-known, together with data and gadgets that belonged to them and are associated to their work.
Viktor Frankl Middle
Viktor Frankl was a Viennese psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who based logotherapy. The museum shows his life story, his books, and his legacy.
The Albertina Museum and the Albertina Trendy
In keeping with the official web site, the Albertina Trendy “is Austria’s new artwork museum for world-class trendy and modern artwork” with artistic endeavors post-1945.
Among the best artwork museums in Vienna is the Albertina Museum, dwelling to a group of over a million prints and drawings (the biggest on this planet), together with works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Albrecht Dürer.
The museum additionally hosts non permanent reveals on completely different points of artwork and tradition. Work by well-known painters can be seen right here. A should in Vienna!
The Imperial Treasury
I like jewellery and I don’t miss an opportunity to admire the royal jewels in museums (I noticed these in Paris, on the Louvre too). The Imperial Treasury shows treasures from over a thousand years of European historical past, together with the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria.
If you wish to see extra of the Habsburg dynasty’s spectacular assortment of jewels, crowns, and different regalia, this is without doubt one of the greatest museums in Vienna to go to. Additionally, you will see (certainly one of) the biggest emerald(s) on this planet.
Kunst Haus Wien. Museum Hundertwasser
You could already be familiarised with the outside of the constructing – as it’s well-known and will be seen in lots of flyers with one of the best locations to see in Vienna. This museum is devoted to the work of artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, identified for his colourful and imaginative work and structure.
Right here you may see examples of Hundertwasser’s artwork and structure (work, graphics, tapestries and architectural fashions), in addition to non permanent reveals of different modern artists (floor ground.)
MAK – Austrian Museum of Utilized Arts/Modern Artwork
The MAK is a museum that explores the connection between artwork, design, structure, and society and it’s thought-about top-of-the-line of its form.
The museum showcases a singular assortment of utilized arts – furnishings, glassware, textiles, ceramics, and modern artwork and it’s positively one of the vital attention-grabbing museums in Vienna for modern artwork lovers.
Ernst Fuchs Museum
The Ernst Fuchs Museum is a museum that showcases the works of Ernst Fuchs, one of many founders of Unbelievable Realism. The founders opened a college about Unbelievable Realism in 1948 when Fuchs was 18.
The museum is positioned in a former villa that was designed by Otto Wagner and adorned by Fuchs himself.
Dom Museum Wien
If you’re into sacred and historic artefacts on this planet, then that is an unmissable museum for you. The Dom Museum Wien shows spiritual artwork from completely different eras and areas. From the Gothic interval to modern artwork, this museum has an unlimited assortment. It additionally provides views of St. Stephen’s Cathedral from its rooftop terrace.
Kunsthalle Wien
In keeping with the official web site, “Kunsthalle Wien is devoted to artwork and its relations to social change.” This modern artwork museum focuses on showcasing modern and experimental works by rising and established artists from all over the world.
The museum usually hosts thought-provoking exhibitions so if you wish to maintain updated with modern artwork and the usage of creativity within the public house, then you shouldn’t miss it.
Museum of Navy Historical past
My son loves army museums – and we don’t miss an opportunity to inform him extra concerning the historical past of a rustic/continent/world when visiting such museums.
The Museum of Navy Historical past in Vienna, because the identify suggests, is devoted to the army historical past of Austria, with reveals on all the things from historical warfare to trendy conflicts. The museum additionally options a big assortment of weapons, armor, and autos.
The Vienna Porcelain Museum
Maybe not many individuals have these days porcelain gadgets of their houses (besides from kitchen gadgets). However there was a time when porcelan was well-known – and this museum is devoted to showcasing the historical past and artwork of porcelain-making in Vienna.
The Vienna Porcelain Museum’s assortment consists of 1000’s of items of porcelain, starting from on a regular basis tableware to ornate collectible figurines.
The Leopold Museum
One other well-known artwork museum in Vienna, The Leopold Museum is the place to go if you wish to admire a formidable assortment of Austrian artwork from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The museum’s most well-known items embody works by Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.
The Home of Austrian Historical past
If you wish to be taught extra about Austria’s historical past, then that is one of the best museum to go to in Vienna.
It’s devoted to the historical past of Austria, with reveals on all the things from prehistoric occasions to modern-day politics. The museum additionally incorporates a particular exhibit on Austria’s position in World Warfare II.
The Museum of Illusions
This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable museums in Vienna – and an excellent place to take many photographs! This museum provides a enjoyable and interactive expertise for guests of all ages.
It options reveals of optical illusions, puzzles, and mind teasers, and you might be invited to attempt to remedy numerous challenges.
The Weltmuseum Wien (former Museum of Ethnology)
This museum provides a captivating take a look at completely different cultures and traditions from all over the world. The Weltmuseum Wien (former Museum of Ethnology) in Vienna is the biggest anthropological museum in Austria and every room is devoted to a particular theme.
The identify of the museum interprets to World Museum, so it’s no shock that you could find right here a lot of gadgets from throughout the globe (all continents) and civilisations – from African masks to Asian textiles and Center Japanese crafts.
The Literature Museum
Austria has quite a few writers that grew to become a part of the worldwide literature and are studied in colleges in lots of international locations (I studied a few of them in highschool), so it’s only pure to have a museum devoted to Austrian literature. Who hasn’t heard about Kafka’s Course of?
Right here you will see that reveals devoted well-known writers and poets like Franz Kafka, Arthur Schnitzler, and Stefan Zweig.
The Austrian Theatre Museum
A extra niched museum, this can be a particular location to go to when you just like the theatre. It provides a glimpse into the world of theatre in Austria, with reveals on all the things from stage design to costumes and props. There are additionally numerous non permanent reveals on completely different points of theatre historical past and observe.
Wien Museum Karlsplatz
The Wien Museum Karlsplatz is a museum that covers the historical past and tradition of Vienna from its origins to as we speak. It consists of collections of work, sculptures, images, maps, and artifacts associated to Vienna’s city growth, social life, and inventive actions. As a notice, it’s closed from 2019 – however it’s stated that this can be a non permanent scenario.
