Visitor standing in front of the painting "Tower of Babel" by Pieter Bruegel at the Museum of Fine Arts in Vienna

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Six museum treasures in Vienna that are all worth a visit

Vienna is home to countless museums in every category. Exhibitions on art, technology, history, nature, and even bizarre topics are just waiting to be discovered. There is bound to be the right museum for all visitors to the city. The days when visiting museums was a boring experience are long gone.

We have compiled our favorite museum treasures into a list of six museum treasures in Vienna that are all worth a visit.

Feather crown Penacho at the Weltmuseum Wien 

Our first museum treasure can be found after a centuries-long journey in the Weltmuseum Wien (World Museum Vienna). The world-famous feather crown from Mexico (called "Penacho"), whose links to the legendary Aztec ruler Moctezuma are unclear, is the only artifact of its kind still in existence. The feather crown was first mentioned in 1596 as part of a collection belonging to a Tyrolean prince. At the beginning of the 19th century, it came to Vienna. In the meantime it has been lavishly restored and can be viewed in a special showcase in the Weltmuseum Wien (World Museum Vienna), well protected. Visitors should take their time over the many impressive details.

The "Young Hare" by Albrecht Dürer in the Albertina

The most famous nature study by the Nuremberg painter Albrecht Dürer is the Young Hare from the year 1502. This painting has since found a new home in the Albertina, where it is considered to be the most prominent exhibition piece. However, visitors only get to see a copy. The picture, which is over 500 years old and painted with watercolors, needs very special protection. The original is stored in the Albertina's deep store and only very rarely shown.

Egon Schiele, Self-portrait with Lampion Fruits, in the Leopold Museum

Egon Schiele painted this self-portrait at the height of his creative activity in 1912, which was a very productive year for him. At the tender age of 22, Schiele left nothing to chance in this painting. Each stroke of this work was precisely considered. He was very self-aware, knew exactly how talented he was. Yet he had a highly sensitive and fragile personality. He impressively managed to present these apparently opposing character traits in this self-portrait.

The Tower of Babel in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien houses one of the biggest masterpieces of the Renaissance. Pieter Bruegel attempted several times to portray the biblical Tower of Babel. His most famous work can now be found in Vienna. Bruegel depicted in unbelievable detail mankind's completely hopeless attempt to raise itself to the level of God by means of a gigantic building. This picture has the ability to fascinate the viewer for a long time with the countless scenes and details taking place around the tower's construction.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt in the Belvedere

When one thinks of Gustav Klimt, one usually thinks of his most famous work, The Kiss. This masterpiece of Vienna Modernism, an important epoch in art history, achieved world fame far beyond Austria's borders. Unsurprisingly, The Kiss is the greatest highlight in the Upper Belvedere. The tightly embraced, kissing lovers with their eye-catching robes on the flower meadow touch many of their viewers today as they have always done. Another special feature of the painting is that Klimt used gold leaf in addition to classic oil paints.

Venus of Willendorf in the Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna

Small, but impressive! The Venus of Willendorf is just 11 cm tall. Which made the discovery of this find in the Wachau, Lower Austria, in 1908 all the more important. We know now that the figure must be 29,500 years old. It thus bears witness to the beginning of our culture. Its actual purpose remains a mystery to this day. However, the little Venus is most frequently referred to as a symbol of fertility.

Weltmuseum Wien (World Museum Vienna)

Hofburg, Heldenplatz
1010 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -6%

      Additional information on the offer:

      Standard ticket price: 16€

  • Opening times

    • Tu, 10:00 - 21:00
    • We - Su, 10:00 - 18:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Automatic sliding doors )
        accessible by platform lift.
    • Car parks Main entrance
      • 5 Parking spaces for people with disabilities
        on Heldenplatz
    • Elevator available
      • Door 92 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      Tactile tours for the blind and visually impaired provided upon request.

    • Comments

      Automatic gate (width: 130 cm) operated with "Euro-Key". Elevator to the special exhibition areas on the first floor as well as to the exhibition areas on the mezzanine.
      The event area is also wheelchair-accessible on request and accompanied by a staff member (contact via intercom at the entrance to the WMW-Forum and at the ticket counter).
      Both the cook café & bistro and the shopping are in the hall of columns can be accessed without steps by means of an elevator.
      Wheelchair-accessible restroom on the upper first floor and mezzanine.

Albertina

Albertinaplatz 1
1010 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -10%

      Additional information on the offer:

      Standard ticket price: 18,90€ / Savings: 2€ off the daily valid sales price at the museum cash desk (special offers excluded)

  • Opening times

    • Mo, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Tu, 10:00 - 18:00
    • We, 10:00 - 21:00
    • Th, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Fr, 10:00 - 21:00
    • Sa, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Su, 10:00 - 18:00
    • on holidays, 10:00 - 18:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Double swinging doors 190 cm wide)
    • Elevator available
      • Door 150 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      Wheelchair rental (prior arrangement necessary: Tel. +43 1 534 83–540). Guided tours in sign language available (prior arrangement necessary: Tel. +43 1 534 83–540). Guided tours for blind people available as well as for people with slight to moderate dementia and their escorts (prior arrangement necessary: Tel. +43 1 534 83–540). Please inform Art Mediation department about wheelchair uses in advance. Reduced admission for persons with special needs

    • Comments

      Access to all exhibition rooms, to the restaurant / café and to the Shop: no steps. All rooms are wheelchair-accessible.

      Wheelchair-accessible restrooms on levels 1 and -1, restroom on level 1: door width: 90 cm, room dimensions: 180 x 110 cm.

Leopold Museum

Museumsplatz 1
1070 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -16%

      Additional information on the offer:

      Standard ticket price: 15€ /
      With Vienna City Card: 12,50€ /
      Vienna City card holders are entitled to use the fast lane at the Leopold Museum

  • Opening times

    • Mo, 10:00 - 18:00
    • We, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Th, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Fr, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Sa, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Su, 10:00 - 18:00
    • on holidays, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Open daily between June and August.

  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Double swinging doors )
        stufenlos mittels Lift an der Rückseite des Leopold Museums
    • Car parks Main entrance
      • 4 Parking spaces for people with disabilities
        Parkplätze am Areal sind über die Haupteinfahrt / Ecke Volkstheater erreichbar
    • Elevator available
      • 89 cm wide and 210 cm low , Door 90 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      The Parking Spaces can be reached via the main entrance (=corner of the Volkstheater).

    • Comments

      Main entrance, access to all exhibition rooms and restaurant/café: no steps.

      wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge from the checkroom at the main entrance to the Leopold Museum (early booking required).


Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum)

Maria-Theresien-Platz
1010 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -5%

      Additional information on the offer:

      Standard ticket price: 21€ /
      Savings: 1 € /
      Audioguide 5€ instead of 6€

  • Opening times

    • Tu, 10:00 - 18:00
    • We, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Th, 10:00 - 21:00
    • Fr, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Sa, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Su, 10:00 - 18:00
    • Open daily from June to August as well as from October, 8 2024 until January, 6 2025.

  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • 5 Steps (Double swinging doors 300 cm wide)
        on Maria-Theresien-Platz, no ramp
    • Side entrance

      • on Maria-Theresien-Platz, no ramp
    • Car parks Main entrance
      • 5 Parking spaces for people with disabilities
        on Heldenplatz
    • Elevator available
      • Door 99 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      Wheelchair rental possible (please reserve one day in advance). Guided tours for visitors with special needs as well as tactile tours for the blind and visually impaired on request (Tel. +43 1 525 24-5202). Three masterpieces of the Renaissance collection of the painting gallery, selected objects of the Kunstkammer, the Egyptian-Oriental collection and the collection of antiquities are available to the blind and visually impaired as castings for touching. A brochure with image descriptions of this in Braille is available. The Kunsthistorisches Museum offers workshops for people with dementia (Tel. +41 1 525 24-5202 or email: kunstvermittlung@khm.at) Wheelchair users who visit the museum via Burgring 5 can purchase their tickets at the shop in the lobby.

    • Comments

      The museum is a place of encounter and sensory perception and offers plenty of opportunity to stimulate vistors and motivate them to interact with one another by looking at art together and then getting creative themselves.
      Induction loop available at the audio guide stand.

      http://www.khm.at/en/learn/kunstvermittlung/inclusive-art-education

Upper Belvedere (Oberes Belvedere)

Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27
1030 Vienna
  • Comments

  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -9%

      Additional information on the offer:

      - 1,50€ on the current entry ticket price (Upper Belvedere)

      - 2,50€ on the current entry ticket price (Upper and Lower Belvedere)

  • Opening times

    • daily, 09:00 - 18:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Swinging doors 102 cm wide)
    • Car parks Main entrance
      • Parking spaces for people with disabilities
        Parking space for visitors with disabilities in front of the entrance at Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 27, Parking: 10 am – 6 pm
    • Elevator available
      • Door 150 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      Reduced admission for people with disabilities and assistants. "See differently" guided tours (tactile tours) in the Upper Belvedere for blind and visually impaired visitors. The following topics can be booked in advance: A palace to touch - the new tactile model of the Upper Belvedere Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller and his time Gustav Klimt's main work "The Kiss" Multimedia guides with videos in Austrian Sign Language (OGS) are available for deaf visitors. Over 30 videos provide information on selected works from the collection in the Upper Belvedere as well as on the palace and gardens and the history of the Belvedere

    • Comments

      2 elevators reachable via a ramp (staff will provide assistance), wheelchairs available at the cloakroom.
      Shop/café: a few steps (staff will provide assistance).

Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna (Natural History Museum)

Maria-Theresien-Platz
1010 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Your benefit with the Vienna City Card: -25%

      Additional information on the offer:

      Standard ticket price: 16€ / Reduced ticket price: 12€

  • Prices

    • Visitors under 19: Free admission
  • Opening times

    • Th - Mo, 09:00 - 18:00
    • We, 09:00 - 20:00
  • Guided tours

    • Roof Tour whole year (German)

      • Wednesday 6.30 p.m.
      • Sunday 4 p.m.

      Roof Tour April - December (German)

      • Friday and Saturday 4 p.m.

      Roof Tour whole year (English)

      • Sunday 3 p.m.

      Roof Tour April - December (English)

      • Friday and Saturday 3 p.m.
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • (Swinging doors )
        stairs
    • Side entrance

      • Entrance for wheelchairs Burgring 7
    • Elevator available
      • 78 cm wide and 132 cm low , Door 78 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Special offers for people with disabilities

      In the Mezzanine of the Natural History Museum Vienna there is a series of 15 free-standing exhibits from the fields of mineralogy, geology, and anthropology designed especially with blind visitors to the museum in mind. A map and the object descriptions are also available in Braille at the information.

    • Comments

      All facilities suitable for wheelchair users (except the roof guide!
      Access to restaurant/café: no steps. Seeing-eye dogs permitted in exhibition area.


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