Opened in 1891 to house the vast art collections the Habsburgs had built up over centuries, the KHM's building is itself part of the spectacle — an opulent late-19th-century palace with a domed entrance hall decorated by, among others, a young Gustav Klimt.
The picture gallery
The heart of the museum is its Picture Gallery, with an outstanding run of Bruegel, Titian, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Vermeer. The Bruegel rooms in particular are considered unmissable — no other museum comes close to the depth of the collection here, including Hunters in the Snow and The Tower of Babel.
Beyond the paintings
The museum also holds major Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities collections, a Kunstkammer (chamber of art and curiosities) full of Habsburg treasures and oddities, and an excellent coin collection — enough, combined with the picture gallery, to comfortably fill a full day if you're a museum person.
Local tip
Directly across Maria-Theresien-Platz sits its architectural twin, the Natural History Museum — the two buildings mirror each other, and a combined ticket is usually available if you want to see both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Kunsthistorisches Museum take to see?
Two to three hours covers the highlights; dedicated art lovers can easily spend a full day across all the collections.
What is the Kunsthistorisches Museum known for?
Its Bruegel collection is the largest in the world, alongside an exceptional broader Old Masters picture gallery and Habsburg antiquities.