There are many wonderful art museums in Vienna. Our top recommendations include:
Albertina: Located in the Hofburg Palace at Albertinaplatz 1, this is a wonderful art museum that should be high on your list to visit. I enjoyed an exhibition of the permanent collection from Monet to Picasso from the Batliner Collection, seeing their permanent collection of Austrian artists, visiting a special exhibition of their contemporary works from Warhol to Richter and finally viewing a special exhibition of Degas, Cezzanne and Seurat from the Musee D’Orsay in Paris.
Kunsthistoriches Museum: One of the most famous museums in the world, this should not be missed. I focused on the old masters collection. In the area of Flemish, Dutch and German works, you will find great works by Rembrandt, Holbein, Cranach, Rubens, Bruegel, van Dyck, Albrecht Durer and a superb painting by Vermeer, The Art of Painting. Then move over to the Italian, Spanish and French paintings where you will see Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Velazquez and a beautiful Raphael, The Madonna of the Meadow. Some of the rooms have so many paintings that it is somewhat overwhelming.
MuseumsQuartier: This is an area consisting of several museums, a library, stores and several fun cafes. Locals love hanging out in the plaza. Make sure to visit the Leopold Museum and MUMOK.
Leopold Museum: The Leopold, in a contemporary building with second floor care, has the largest collection of works by Egon Schiele and a large collection of works by Gustav Klimt. I also loved the rooms featuring Art Nouveau handicrafts and the furniture of the Wiener Werkstatte.
MUMOK/Museum of Modern Art: This is a contemporary art museum within a contemporary building. Check out their current exhibitions as well as their permanent collection. I enjoyed an excellent show on Pop Art with works by Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, Hockney and Warhol. Museumplatz 1-Aa.
The Vienna Secession: At Fredrichstrasse 12, this is an art exhibition space that is the world’s oldest independent exhibition space dedicated explicitly to contemporary art. It was founded in 1897 by a group of artists lead by Gustav Klimt. The “white cube” building itself is worth the visit, which is highlighted by a large gold dome or ball composed by 3,000 gold-plated iron laurel leaves. If open, make sure to go to the lower level to visit Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze, which was created for a group show dedicated to Beethoven in 1902. The theme of the mural is based on Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Make sure to stop in to see the current exhibitions as well.
For more Klimt, make sure to visit the Upper Belvedere Museum, Prinz Eugen-Strasse 27. You can also visit exhibitions at the Winter Palace and the Lower Belvedere.