- Works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which the museum calls the largest collection of his paintings
- 12
- Objects in the Kunstkammer, from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque
- About 2,200
- Late closing on Thursdays (usually 10am to 6pm)
- 9pm
What it is and why it is worth your time
The Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM, which means art history museum) holds the art collections of the Habsburgs. The building was designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl Hasenauer and opened around 1891, according to Wikipedia. Its octagonal dome is about 60 m high.
It is one of the best reasons to extend a Hofburg trip. The Picture Gallery has a fine run of Old Masters, and the Kunstkammer (the Habsburgs’ cabinet of curiosities) is one of the odder collections you will find in a city museum.
What to see and how long to allow
The museum’s own highlights page names these as the stars:
- Bruegel: The Tower of Babel, Hunters in the Snow and Peasant Wedding. The museum holds twelve works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which it calls the world’s largest collection of his paintings. They hang in the Bruegel Gallery, Room X.
- Vermeer: The Art of Painting.
- Velázquez: Infanta Margarita in a Blue Dress.
- Arcimboldo: Summer.
- Kunstkammer: about 2,200 objects. Cellini’s Saliera (salt cellar) is listed among the highlights.
The Egyptian and Near Eastern collection and the Greek and Roman antiquities are also on the permanent list. The Egyptian highlights include a hippopotamus statuette and the mummy board and inner coffin of Nes-pauti-taui, if ancient objects are your thing. Wikipedia notes that the grand stairway carries paintings by Gustav Klimt and others. The Cupola Hall has a café-restaurant, and you need a museum ticket to use it.
Do not try to see everything. A sensible first visit is the Picture Gallery highlights plus the Kunstkammer, which fills a couple of hours. Skip the antiquities if time is short. If you love art, a second visit on a Thursday evening works better than rushing.
Tickets and opening hours
Use the museum’s visit page, checked October 2026.
- Hours: daily, 10am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays. Rooms are cleared 15 minutes before closing. Holiday hours differ, for example a short day on 24 December.
- Entry: since 8 September 2026, admission is by reserved time slot, so book before you go.
- Price pattern: adult tickets were €22 online and €24 on site. Reduced tickets were €19 online and €20 on site, and under-19s were free.
- Rooms: individual rooms close from time to time. The visit page flagged four closed rooms at our check.
Booking online saves €2 on the adult ticket. Vienna City Card holders pay €23 for an adult ticket. Wheelchairs are free to borrow, but reserve one a day ahead by email.
Guide or no guide
Not for a first visit. The audio guide costs €6 and comes in ten languages, including English. The museum also runs public guided tours at €3 to €6 on top of admission. A private guide is listed at €100 for 60 minutes, which only makes sense for a group. Third-party tours add Habsburg context but cost more than the audio guide. If you are building a day around the Hofburg, our tickets and tours guide covers the options.
Getting there from the Hofburg
The museum is on Maria-Theresien-Platz. The Burgring tram stop serves both the museum and the Hofburg: the museum names it Burgring/Kunsthistorisches Museum, and the Hofburg lists the same stop. Trams 1, 2 and D stop there, and the Hofburg adds line 71. For the U-Bahn (Vienna’s underground), the museum’s own directions use the U3 to Volkstheater.
Because the two share a tram stop, they are neighbours and you can go on foot. Check the Wiener Linien planner for live times, and our getting there guide for the wider network.
One practical tip
Use the free cloakroom for coats, umbrellas and bags, but not for luggage. The museum has no luggage storage. Flash and tripods are not allowed. Step-free entry is through the side entrance at Burgring 5, where staff escort you to the lift.
How it fits with a Hofburg visit
The KHM works as the afternoon half of a day that starts at the Hofburg. See the main Hofburg guide for the morning, then walk over. If you also plan to visit the MuseumsQuartier, it shares the Volkstheater U-Bahn stop with the museum. The Leopold Museum there lists a joint ticket with the KHM (€37 at our check). For a lighter alternative to a full art day, try the Albertina.
