Kunsthistorisches Museum

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, usually shortened to KHM, was built to display the art collected by the Habsburgs over several centuries. Designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer and opened by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1891, it faces its twin, the Natural History Museum, across Maria-Theresien-Platz. The building itself is a highlight: a domed entrance hall, a grand staircase with paintings by Gustav Klimt and his colleagues between the columns, and a cupola hall that houses one of the most elegant museum cafés in Europe.

The picture gallery on the first floor is the main draw. Its room of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder is famous, with paintings such as The Hunters in the Snow, The Tower of Babel and Children's Games, and no other museum holds as many of his works. Nearby rooms cover Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens, Velázquez's portraits of the Spanish royal children, Dürer and Vermeer's The Art of Painting. On the ground floor, the Kunstkammer gathers the treasures of the imperial cabinets of curiosities, from carved ivories and clocks to Benvenuto Cellini's gold salt cellar. The Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection and the Greek and Roman antiquities fill the other wing, and the coin collection occupies the second floor.

The museum suits art lovers above all, but the Egyptian rooms and Kunstkammer appeal to older children too. It is a large building, so pick two or three sections rather than trying to see everything in one go; two to three hours is a sensible visit. From September 2026, admission works by reserved time slot, so buy tickets online in advance. The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with a late opening until 21:00 on Thursdays, when the cupola hall also serves dinner.

Step-free access is through the side entrance at Burgring 5, where staff can take you to the lifts. Wheelchairs are lent free of charge but should be reserved a day ahead. The café-restaurant requires a valid museum ticket and serves breakfast on weekend and holiday mornings.

The museum is on the Ring between the Hofburg and the MuseumsQuartier. The nearest underground stations are Volkstheater (U2, U3) and Museumsquartier (U2), and tram D stops at Burgring outside. Afterwards you can cross the Ring to the Heldenplatz and the Hofburg or continue to the Leopold Museum and the courtyards of the MuseumsQuartier.