The Kunsthistorisches Museum is one of the world’s leading art museums, holding the Habsburg dynasty’s collections from five millennia in central Vienna.
This guide was updated in July 2026. Some ticket resale sites list adult admission as high as €39, but the official adult price is €22 online or €24 at the door. The museum itself warns that fake ticket websites exist, so it’s worth booking through a trusted source. You can book through Viator to secure your entry in advance.
Quick facts: Kunsthistorisches Museum
| Address | Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna, Austria |
| Opening hours | Daily, 10am–6pm; Thursdays until 9pm. Open Mondays in June, July and August only |
| Admission | Adults €22 online / €24 on site; Reduced €19 online / €20 on site; under-19s free |
| Nearest transit | U2 Museumsquartier or U3 Volkstheater, both a short walk away |
| Typical visit | 2 to 4 hours |
Opening hours for the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The museum opens daily from 10am to 6pm, staying open until 9pm on Thursdays. For most of the year, it’s closed on Mondays, but it opens on Mondays too during June, July and August, so summer visitors get an extra day of access each week. Hours also shift slightly around public holidays. Christmas Eve, for example, closes early at 3pm, while New Year’s Eve stays open until 9pm. Check the museum’s holiday schedule if you’re visiting around a public holiday.
Five great things to do while you’re in Vienna
- Take a guided bike tour through the Old City and along the Danube.
- Enjoy a classical music concert at St Peter’s Church.
- Taste gruner veltliners and much more on a wine tour through the Weinviertel region.
- See the World Heritage-listed sights of the Wachau Valley on a super-scenic day trip.
- Explore Vienna’s food scene in café’s and markets with an expert guide.
Ticket prices for the Kunsthistorisches Museum
All prices are in euros. Booking online is cheaper than paying at the door.
| Ticket | Online | On site |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €22 | €24 |
| Reduced (students, seniors, and others) | €19 | €20 |
| With Vienna City Card | €23 | €23 |
| Kids and teens under 19 | Free | Free |
Combined tickets are also available, including a Habsburg Treasures ticket at €32 and a Masterticket covering multiple sites at €37. Frequent visitors can consider the 7 Museums Pass, an annual ticket priced at €53. Because of a rise in fake ticket websites, buy only through the museum’s own shop or a recognised partner. You can book tickets in advance through Viator to skip the ticket desk on arrival.
Why book Kunsthistorisches Museum tickets?
- 🏛️ Five millennia under one roof: From Ancient Egypt to the late eighteenth century, across one of Europe’s great collections.
- 🎟️ Skip the ticket desk: Booking online avoids the on-site price increase and the queue.
- 🌿 The world’s largest Bruegel collection: See more paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder than anywhere else on Earth.
- 📜 Free entry for under-19s: Children and teenagers visit at no charge.
- 💰 Open late on Thursdays: Stay until 9pm for a quieter, evening visit.
How to get to the Kunsthistorisches Museum
By metro, take U2 to Museumsquartier or U3 to Volkstheader, both a short walk from the main entrance on Maria-Theresien-Platz. From the Westbahnhof, take U3 directly to Volkstheater. From the Hauptbahnhof, take tram D to the Burgring/Kunsthistorisches Museum stop. Trams 1, 2, and D, plus bus 2A and 57A, all serve the surrounding area. On foot, the museum sits directly on the Ringstrasse, within easy walking distance of the Hofburg and the city centre.
Parking at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The museum doesn’t publish details of general public parking, though five handicapped parking spaces are available at Heldenplatz and two more at the side entrance on Burgring 5. Given the central location, most visitors are better served by public transport than driving.
Why book the Vienna Pass for sightseeing?
- Free entry to top attractions: Visit dozens of Vienna’s must-see museums, palaces, churches and cultural sites without paying separate admission fees.
- Hop-on hop-off bus included: Use the sightseeing bus service to explore the city at your own pace with panoramic views and easy access to key stops.
- Flexible pass durations: Choose from 1-, 2-, 3- or 6-day options to suit your travel plans and how much you want to see.
- Mobile ticket convenience: Use your pass on your phone with digital entry to attractions — no printing or queuing required.
- Extra savings and discounts: Enjoy special offers at partner tours, restaurants and experiences throughout Vienna.
How long to spend at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Most visitors spend 2 to 4 hours here. The museum’s own guidance is broader still, noting that a visit can last anywhere from half an hour to a full day, depending on your interests.
Accessibility at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is accessible via the side entrance at Burgring 5, where visitor service staff escort guests to a lift. Barrier-free restrooms are available on several floors. Free wheelchairs can be booked a day in advance by contacting the museum directly. Special guided tours for disabled visitors are also available on request.
What to see inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Picture Gallery spans two wings, one devoted to Italian, Spanish, and French painting with works by Titian, Caravaggio, and Velázquez, and the other to Dutch, Flemish, and German painting, including Jan van Eyck, Rubens, Dürer, and the museum’s celebrated Bruegel collection.
The Kunstkammer displays around 2,200 objects from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque, including rare materials such as ivory, ostrich eggs, and coral.
The Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection holds over 17,000 objects spanning almost 4,500 years, drawn from Egypt, Nubia, Mesopotamia, and the Arabian Peninsula.
The Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities brings together around 2,500 objects across 3,000 years, from treasure hoards to marble sculpture.
The Coin Collection ranks among the five largest in the world, with roughly 600,000 coins, medals, and banknotes spanning three millennia.
Canaletto & Bellotto, a special exhibition running until 6 September, brings together city views of Venice, London, and Vienna by the two celebrated painters.
Practical visitor tips for the Kunsthistorisches Museum
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Buy only through official channels | Ticket fraud is a known issue; buy directly from the museum’s shop or a trusted partner. |
| Book online to save | Online tickets cost less than tickets bought on site. |
| Visit on a Monday in summer | The museum opens on Mondays only in June, July, and August. |
| Stay late on Thursdays | The museum stays open until 9pm on Thursdays, good for a quieter visit. |
| Book ahead in peak season | Advance booking is recommended; book tickets in advance through Viator to skip the ticket desk. |
FAQ: Kunsthistorisches Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the museum open on Mondays? | Only in June, July, and August; closed Mondays the rest of the year. |
| Do children need a ticket? | No, under-19s enter free and don’t need to book online. |
| How long should I plan for a visit? | Most visitors spend 2 to 4 hours, though a full day is possible. |
| Do I need to book in advance? | Advance booking is recommended, and you can book tickets in advance through Viator to save time. |
| Is the museum wheelchair accessible? | Yes, via the side entrance at Burgring 5, with lifts and barrier-free restrooms. |
Things to do near the Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Natural History Museum is directly opposite, across Maria-Theresien-Platz, in an almost identical building. The MuseumsQuartier, one of the world’s largest cultural districts, is a short walk away and home to contemporary art museums and courtyards. The Hofburg Palace and Imperial Treasury showcase the Habsburgs’ crown jewels, a few minutes on foot. The Volksgarten, with its Theseus Temple exhibition space, offers a green break close by. The Vienna State Opera is a short walk along the Ringstrasse, for those wanting to extend their day.
What to visit tomorrow: more major European art museums
Museums of this scale and calibre are rare, so this list ranges a little further afield to find genuine equivalents. The Slovak National Gallery, in Bratislava, is about an hour away by train and holds Slovakia’s leading collection of European art. The Lentos Art Museum, in Linz, is around 1.5 hours away and focuses on modern and contemporary works. The Museum of Fine Arts, in Budapest, is a little over two hours away by train and holds one of Central Europe’s great Old Master collections. The Neue Galerie Graz, roughly 2.5 hours away, rounds out the list with Austria’s second-largest art collection outside Vienna.
More Vienna travel
Other Vienna travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- How to ride the Wiener Riesenrad – the oldest Ferris Wheel in the world.
- Plan your visit to Vienna’s Haus des Meeres aquarium.
- What you need to know before visiting the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna.
- Plan your visit to Vienna’s Imperial Carriage Museum.
- What to expect at the Weltmuseum Wien.
