Admire paintings by great European masters, and see the most comprehensive coin collection in the world.
Enjoy the treasures of the Habsburg Empire, explore the fascinating civilisations of antiquity, or gaze upon some of the oldest coins in the world. The magnificent Picture Room, home to exquisite works by Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Bruegel, is a particular highlight.
The Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorischesmuseum, or KHM) was founded in 1891 to care for the Habsburg family’s huge and impressive art collection. It is made up of the Neue Berg (New Palace), the Imperial Treasury and the Theseustempel, a striking collection of buildings opposite the Ringstraße. 2013 saw the further enhancement of the museum, with the reopening of the wonderful Kunstkammer (Art Room) after a decade of painstaking refurbishment.
It’s worth taking some time to admire the style of the façade on your way into the museum, as well as taking in the rich neo-Baroque décor of the interiors once inside.
Marvel at the beauty of Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadow, and appreciate the elegance of Susanna and the Elders by Tintoretto. The museum is also home to the world's largest collection of work by Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel. These paintings form a part of the wonderful sweep of artworks on show, which take in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, continuing on to the Baroque period.
After taking your time to soak in the splendour of this collection, continue on towards the rest of the fine art and historic artifacts. The achievements of incredible Egyptian, Greek and Roman societies are traced here, and the museum also holds the most impressive armoury exhibit in Europe. A distinctive note is struck by the widest ranging coin collection in the world, containing some 700,000 pieces, as well as examples of early paper money.
The Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorischesmuseum) is found on Maria-Theresien-Platz in the heart of Vienna. Get here via public transport or on foot. The museum is open daily (except most Mondays), and is open late on Thursday evening. The opening hours for the Neue Berg are shorter. There is a fee for adults to enter, but children go free.
