Due to remodeling work, the Wien Museum is closed for the coming years from February 4, 2019. During this time, the exhibitions will be held at the MUSA next to Vienna City Hall.

The most outstanding exhibits of the Wien Museum originate from 19th century: Paintings by Gustav Klimt (including the world-famous portrait of his companion Emilie Flöge), Egon Schiele, Richard Gerstl and Arnold Schönberg, works of the Wiener Werkstätte, as well as two large city models dating to around 1900, are the highlights of the Vienna Modernism period. The living room and fireplace lounge from the apartment of the architect Adolf Loos and the reconstructed apartment of the Austrian poet Franz Grillparzer including original furnishings also give insights into this time.

The entire permanent exhibition extends over three levels. Early highlights of the collection include archaeological finds from the Roman military camp Vindobona, glass windows preserved in their original condition, and sculptures from St. Stephen's Cathedral as well as weapons and armor. The Baroque era is represented with paintings by Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Johann Michael Rottmayr and Paul Troger. Works by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Josef Danhauser and Friedrich Amerling cover the Biedermeier period.

The building on Karlsplatz was designed by the famous architect Oswald Haerdtl, a former employee of Josef Hoffmann, and opened in 1959. Mostly special exhibitions on different Viennese topics are shown on the ground floor of the museum.