Kunsthistorisches Museum
Quick answer
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria — the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) opened in 1891 as Emperor Franz Joseph I's monument to the Habsburg imperial art collections. Open Tuesday–Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thursday until 9:00 PM. Admission: €21 standard adult admission. Allow 3–4 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Kunsthistorisches Museum at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Tuesday–Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thursday until 9:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | Mondays in winter |
| Admission | €21 standard adult admission |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 3–4 hours |
| Best time to visit | Thursday evenings until 9 PM — the Picture Gallery is atmospheric and uncrowded. |
| Getting there | Metro: U2 to Museumsquartier or U3 to Volkstheater — 5-minute walk to Maria-Theresien-Platz |
| Address | Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna, Austria |
| Official website | khm.at |
Checked 2026-06-30 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Kunsthistorisches Museum known for?
The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) opened in 1891 on Vienna's Ringstrasse as Emperor Franz Joseph I's monument to the Habsburg imperial collections. Designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, the building is itself a masterpiece — its grand staircase decorated with ceiling paintings by Gustav Klimt, his brother Ernst, and Franz Matsch.
The Picture Gallery (Gemäldegalerie) is one of the world's five or six greatest collections of Old Master paintings. It holds the world's largest assembly of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder — including The Tower of Babel, Hunters in the Snow, and The Peasant Wedding — alongside major paintings by Raphael, Vermeer, Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Rembrandt.
Beyond painting, the museum houses the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection (one of Europe's finest), the Greek and Roman Antiquities, the Kunstkammer (treasury of medieval and Renaissance objets d'art), and the Coin Cabinet — one of the world's largest numismatic collections.
The museum faces its mirror-image twin, the Naturhistorisches Museum, across Maria-Theresien-Platz. Thursday evenings until 9 PM offer a quieter, more atmospheric visit, and the museum café beneath the dome is one of Vienna's most beautiful dining rooms.
Best for: Art Lovers · History Enthusiasts
How long do you need at Kunsthistorisches Museum?
Allow 3–4 hours. A focused route through 4 must-see highlights at Kunsthistorisches Museum without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
The Tower of Babel
📍 Gallery X, Picture Gallery
Bruegel's panoramic vision of the biblical tower under construction — a mountainside of brick and scaffolding teeming with tiny figures.
- 2
Madonna in the Meadow
📍 Gallery VIII, Picture Gallery
Raphael's serene triangular composition of the Virgin, Christ Child, and infant John the Baptist in a meadow — painted in Florence and showing the influence of Leonardo's pyramidal figural groups.
- 3
The Art of Painting
📍 Gallery XII, Picture Gallery
Vermeer's largest and most complex work — a painter in his studio rendering a model dressed as Clio, muse of history.
- 4
Summer
📍 Gallery IV, Picture Gallery
Arcimboldo's portrait composed entirely of fruits and vegetables — a witty Habsburg court painting that predates Surrealism by three centuries.
What are the must-see works at Kunsthistorisches Museum?
4 highlights that define the collection: The Tower of Babel, Madonna in the Meadow, The Art of Painting and more.
The Tower of Babel
Pieter Bruegel the Elder · c. 1563
📍 Gallery X, Picture Gallery
Bruegel's panoramic vision of the biblical tower under construction — a mountainside of brick and scaffolding teeming with tiny figures. The KHM holds more Bruegel paintings than any other museum in the world.
Madonna in the Meadow
Raphael · 1506
📍 Gallery VIII, Picture Gallery
Raphael's serene triangular composition of the Virgin, Christ Child, and infant John the Baptist in a meadow — painted in Florence and showing the influence of Leonardo's pyramidal figural groups.
The Art of Painting
Johannes Vermeer · c. 1666
📍 Gallery XII, Picture Gallery
Vermeer's largest and most complex work — a painter in his studio rendering a model dressed as Clio, muse of history. A meditation on painting itself and one of the supreme achievements of Dutch Golden Age art.
Summer
Giuseppe Arcimboldo · 1563
📍 Gallery IV, Picture Gallery
Arcimboldo's portrait composed entirely of fruits and vegetables — a witty Habsburg court painting that predates Surrealism by three centuries. The emperor's favourite painter created an entire series of seasonal heads.
Collections and highlights
- • Pieter Bruegel the Elder — world's largest collection (12 paintings)
- • Raphael, Titian, and Veronese — Italian Renaissance masters
- • Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Velázquez — Northern and Spanish schools
- • Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection — sarcophagi and sculpture
- • Kunstkammer — Benvenuto Cellini's Saliera and medieval treasures
- • Greek and Roman Antiquities — cameos and portrait busts
- • Klimt staircase frescoes — early work before his gold period
- • Coin Cabinet — 600,000 coins and medals
Tips for visiting Kunsthistorisches Museum
- 1.
Best time to visit
Thursday evenings until 9 PM — the Picture Gallery is atmospheric and uncrowded. Weekday mornings at 10 AM opening for the Bruegel rooms before tour groups.
- 2.
Crowds & busy periods
Bruegel rooms and the Klimt staircase draw steady crowds. The Egyptian collection and Kunstkammer are quieter. Summer tourist season peaks June–August.
- 3.
Tickets & booking
€21 standard admission; Vienna Pass accepted. No timed entry required. Buy online at khm.at or at the door. Under-19 free.
- 4.
Food & cafés nearby
Museum café beneath the dome — one of Vienna's most beautiful dining rooms; Cafés on Burggasse and near Museumsquartier (5 minutes).
- 5.
Accessibility
Fully accessible with elevators to all floors. Wheelchair loan available. Audio guides in multiple languages.
How do you get to Kunsthistorisches Museum?
- metro U2 to Museumsquartier or U3 to Volkstheater — 5-minute walk to Maria-Theresien-Platz
- tram Lines 1, 2, D, and 71 to Burgring — stops beside the museum on the Ringstrasse
- walk 15 minutes from Stephansplatz via the Graben and Kohlmarkt to the Ringstrasse
Address: Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Kunsthistorisches Museum: frequently asked questions
How is it different from the Albertina?
The KHM focuses on Old Master paintings and antiquities from the Habsburg imperial collection; the Albertina focuses on graphic arts and modern painting. Both are outstanding but distinct.
How much time do I need?
The Picture Gallery alone warrants 2–3 hours. Allow a full day to also visit the Egyptian collection, the coin cabinet, and the decorative arts galleries.
How long should I spend at Kunsthistorisches Museum?
Plan 3–4 hours for the highlights of Kunsthistorisches Museum. Our 4-stop route — The Tower of Babel, Madonna in the Meadow, The Art of Painting and more — is designed to fit that time. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
What is Kunsthistorisches Museum best known for?
The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) opened in 1891 as Emperor Franz Joseph I's monument to the Habsburg imperial art collections. Designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, the building itself is a masterwork of 19th-century historicism, with ceiling paintings in the grand staircase by Gustav Klimt among the commission's highlights. Key highlights include Pieter Bruegel the Elder — world's largest collection (12 paintings), Raphael, Titian, and Veronese — Italian Renaissance masters, Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Velázquez — Northern and Spanish schools.
How do I get tickets for Kunsthistorisches Museum?
Admission: €21 standard adult admission. Tickets are usually available on the day, but booking online saves queue time in peak season. Official site: https://www.khm.at/en/
How much time do I need for the Kunsthistorisches Museum?
The Picture Gallery alone warrants 2–3 hours. Add 1 hour each for the Egyptian collection and Kunstkammer if interested. A comprehensive visit covering all departments needs a full day. Most visitors focus on the Picture Gallery and Klimt staircase in 3 hours.
Where are the Klimt paintings in the museum?
Not in the Picture Gallery — Klimt's works here are the ceiling frescoes on the grand staircase (1880–1891), painted with his brother Ernst and Franz Matsch before his gold period. They depict scenes from art history and are free to view from the staircase.
Kunsthistorisches Museum or Belvedere — which first?
KHM for Old Masters (Bruegel, Vermeer, Raphael) and antiquities; Belvedere for Klimt and Austrian art (The Kiss, Schiele). Both are essential. KHM needs 3 hours; Belvedere needs 2 hours. They are 20 minutes apart by tram.
What are Kunsthistorisches Museum's opening hours?
Kunsthistorisches Museum is open Tuesday–Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thursday until 9:00 PM, and closed Mondays in winter. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
Is Kunsthistorisches Museum free to visit?
No — standard admission is €21 standard adult admission.
