Kunsthistorisches Museum

Built at the end of the nineteenth century to house the royal family's extensive art collection, the museum has one of the great art collections of Europe and unparalleled ornate architecture.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Vienna
Velázquez paintings
The museum holds several portraits by Velázquez, largely of the Spanish royal family in the 17th century.
Bruegel 'Hunters in the Snow'
Bruegel was one of the early Dutch masters who painted non-religious scenery during the Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century. Many of his works are on display at Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Bruegel 'The Tower of Babel'
Pieter Bruegel created this incredibly intricate masterpiece in 1563. Zoom in on the details and rich history of this painting, which still captures our imagination.
Kunstkammer Museum
More than 2,100 valuable objects, collected by the emperors and archdukes of Habsburg over centuries, are considered the most important collection of this kind in the world.
Dome hall Café
Museum coffee room underneath the dome surrounded by art.
Cellini 'The Saliera'
The salt cellar 'Saliera' occupies pride of place in the Kunstkammer Chamber of Wonders at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Related Tours

The Historic Centre of Vienna: Private Tour including Mozarthaus

Vienna is known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene with a music tradition that attracts people to the city where Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss and Mozart perfected their art.

On your private walking tour, you will:

  • Discover Vienna's historic centre on a three-hour guided walking tour;
  • See the most important cultural and political sites, including the Rathausplatz, home to Vienna's impressive City Hall, with its towering Gothic spire and ornate facade;
  • Visit Maria Theresien Platz, flanked by two of the most iconic museums in the city;
  • Admire the Hofburg, the seat of the Habsburg dynasty for centuries, and now housing museums and the Austrian president's office;
  • Learn about the Spanish Riding School, home to the world-renowned Lipizzaner horses;
  • Pass by Michaeler Church, where the first two movements of Mozart's Requiem were performed just five days after his death;
  • Admire the stunning Augustine Church, a 14th-century Gothic building;
  • Hear about The Holy Trinity Monument built in gratitude for the end of the Great Plague of the 17th century;
  • See the iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral, the centrepiece of Vienna's historic centre and admire its towering spire and ornate facade;
  • Explore the old Jewish district, home to the haunting Holocaust Monument, also known as the "Nameless Library";
  • Stop at the famous Anker Clock, an impressive example of Art Nouveau featuring individual figures that rotate in sequence to mark the hours of the day;
  • End your tour with a self-guided tour in the MozartHaus Museum, a centre showing the life and work of the musical genius which you will be free to explore at your leisure with an audioguide included after parting ways with your guide.


Synonymous with the syncopated waltz that bears its name, Vienna owes much of its musical heritage to the Habsburg dynasty and the excellent creative environment provided by the imperial court for visionary musical talent. Great composers were drawn to Vienna to pen immortal works in a honing ground for musical visionaries.

This fascinating half-day highlights tour will take you to Vienna’s most compelling attractions in a city crowded with glittering gilded palaces, monuments, bronze statues, grand mansions, and dome-topped royal buildings. As one of Europe's grandest capitals, Vienna is rich in handsome architecture and cultural relics that reflect the city’s storied history.  

On your walking tour, you will explore the best of the city’s architecture, including the Austrian Parliament Building, the Alte Burg, the Spanish Riding School, and the Austrian National Library. The architectural finery of Vienna's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a bounty of Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Art Deco, and "Jugendstil" architecture under the gaze of the 370-foot steeple of St. Stephen's Cathedral. 

Your tour finishes at the entrance to MozartHaus Museum, where you will step into the life of the classical virtuoso and trace his enthralling backstory at your own pace. Your guide will part ways with you here so you can enjoy your self-guided tour.

Kunsthistorisches Fine Arts Museum: Private 2.5-hour Guided Tour

Explore the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the most significant art museums in the world with your professional guide and discover the Imperial family’s extensive art collections, spanning from ancient times to the modern era, with masterpieces from renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Raphael, and Caravaggio.

On your private tour of the museum, you will:

  • Admire the architectural splendour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, a truly magnificent building - world-class art in itself;
  • Explore the largest art museum in Austria and one of the most important art museums in the world;
  • Stroll beautiful galleries and halls decorated with gold leaf, marble, and stucco;
  • Enjoy works by the Great Masters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, Velázquez, Raphael, Vermeer & Klimt;
  • Marvel at the largest Pieter Bruegel the Elder collection, including The Tower of Babel, which is around 61 inches wide by 44 inches tall;
  • Hear about the evolution of Renaissance art and the techniques and influences of the genre;
  • End the tour in the magnificent domed hall that houses the museum cafe, after which you are free to continue exploring the collections at your own pace.


Commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary himself at a time of considerable investment into the city’s rich, vibrant art and cultural scene, the museum’s eminent works include the single largest exhibit of paintings by Brabant-born Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a celebrated Dutch and Flemish Renaissance artist famous for his landscapes and bucolic peasant scenes. 

The Private Highlights Tour of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum will connect you with the pieces throughout time. Cut through the crowds to reach some exceptional examples of European art histories, such as Raphael’s "Madonna in the Meadow", Vermeer’s "The Allegory of Painting”, Rembrandt’s 1652 self-portrait, and Velazquez’s Infanta paintings - including his most celebrated oil, “Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress” produced in 1659, a year before his death. 

With the invaluable inside knowledge of our expert guide, stroll opulent gold-and-stucco galleries to browse glorious masterpieces by Ruben, Rembrandt, Dürer, and Titian. 

Welcome to Vienna: Private 2.5-hour Highlights Walking Tour

This introductory welcome tour will take you to Vienna’s most popular attractions in a city filled with stunning gilded palaces, monuments, bronze statues, grand mansions, and dome-topped royal buildings. 

On your private tour of Vienna, you will: 

  • Explore some of the most iconic and historic sites in the city's historic centre;
  • Admire the impressive architecture of the Rathausplatz built in the 19th century along the Ringstrasse;
  • See Caffee Landmann, a charming café - said to be Freud's favourite café in Vienna - which has been serving coffee and pastries for over 140 years;
  • Take a stroll through the nearby Volksgarten and enjoy the beauty of the Rosengarten;
  • Head to Maria Theresien Platz, and discover the Monument of Maria Theresia, the magnificent buildings housing The Museum of Natural History Vienna and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien;
  • Visit Heldenplatz, the "Heroes' Square" in German, surrounded by monumental buildings and landmarks including the Neue Burg, built as an extension of the Hofburg Palace;
  • Learn about the Spanish Riding School, home to the world-renowned Lipizzaner horses;
  • Continue to Michaeler Platz where you can admire the symbols of the Habsburgs at the main entrance of the palace;
  • Pass by Michaeler Church, where the first two movements of Mozart's Requiem were performed just five days after his death;
  • Admire Augustine Church, a 14th-century stunning building in Gothic architecture;
  • Hear about The Holy Trinity Monument built in gratitude for the end of the Great Plague and the Turkish War, which ravaged the city in the 17th century;
  • Step outside St. Stephen's Cathedral, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Vienna;
  • Explore the old Jewish district, home to the haunting Holocaust Monument, also known as the "Nameless Library";
  • End your tour at the famed Anker clock. If you book the 9.30 am start time, you will be there just in time to hear the clock chime and admire the 12 historical figures parade in front of the clock face! 


As one of Europe's grandest capitals, Vienna is rich in handsome architecture and cultural relics that reflect the city’s storied history. On your walking tour, you will explore the best of the city’s architecture, including the Austrian Parliament Building, the Alte Burg, the Spanish Riding School, and the Austrian National Library. 

The architectural finery of Vienna's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a bounty of Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Art Deco, and "Jugendstil" architecture under the gaze of the 370-foot steeple of St. Stephen's Cathedral. 

After taking this walking tour, you will not only see its most popular highlights, but learn about the city’s rich history through its many monuments, buildings, and statues erected by its former royals and famed musicians.

Kunsthistorisches Museum & the Egyptian Collection: Private Tour

Built in 1891 to house the Imperial family’s extensive art collection, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is considered one of the most important art museums in the world. Spanning five millennia, from Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance to Baroque and the modern era, artworks are resplendently presented in the magnificent settings of the grandest decor. 

On your private guided tour, you will:

  • Explore the largest art museum in Austria and one of the most eminent museums in the world;
  • Stroll the beautiful galleries and halls decorated with gold leaf, marble, and stucco;
  • See the highlights of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, including the richly decorated Offering Chapel of Ka-ni-Nisut, numerous sarcophagi, and coffins;
  • Admire works by Great Masters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, Velázquez, Raphael, Vermeer and Klimt;
  • Marvel at the largest Pieter Bruegel the Elder collection in the world, including The Tower of Babel, which is around 61 inches wide by 44 inches tall;
  • Visit the Kunstkammer Collection of Curiosities, where you will get to see the world-renowned 'Saliera';
  • Discuss the evolution of Renaissance art and the techniques and influences of the genre;
  • Enjoy the architectural splendour of the truly magnificent building - world-class art in itself;
  • End the tour in the magnificent domed hall that houses the museum cafe, after which you are free to continue exploring the collections at your own pace.

Commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary himself at a time of considerable investment into the city’s rich, vibrant art and cultural scene, the museum’s eminent works include the single largest exhibit of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a celebrated Dutch and Flemish Renaissance artist famous for his landscapes and bucolic peasant scenes. 

The Private Highlights Tour of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum will connect you with the pieces throughout time. We will cut through the crowds to reach some exceptional examples of European art history, such as Raphael’s "Madonna in the Meadow," Vermeer’s "The Allegory of Painting”, Rembrandt’s 1652 self-portrait, and Velazquez’s Infanta paintings - including his most celebrated oil, “Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress” produced in 1659, a year before his death. 

With the invaluable inside knowledge of our expert guide, we will stroll opulent gold-and-stucco galleries to browse glorious masterpieces by Ruben, Rembrandt, Dürer, and Titian. Discuss the inspiration behind the Renaissance era’s greatest paintings and sculptures and debate emerging techniques that often echoed exciting evolutions in philosophy, literature, and music. 

Your private, expert guide will help you seek out curious, rare treasures that offer fascinating insights into mysterious Eastern cultures together with antiquities from Greek and Roman history. Among the highlights are the richly decorated Offering Chapel of Ka-ni-nisus, numerous sarcophagi and coffins, objects of daily life such as clothing and cosmetic articles, masterpieces of sculpture such as the Reserve Head from Giza, as well as a depiction of a lion from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.

Marvel at the splendour of the museum's octagonal dome roof, in itself a breathtaking work of art. Your tour ends inside the Museum where you can continue exploring the collections at your own pace.

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