Few places in the world can rival the affluence of Vienna when it comes to artistic culture and heritage. For more than a century, Vienna has produced and drawn towards itself great artists who have been stimulated by the atmosphere of the city – liberal and creative – and have produced magnificent art works, be it in the field of paintings, architecture, sculpture or other disciplines.
A visitor to Vienna is bound to be dazzled by the beauty and magnificence that the city has acquired due to these qualities. You will see the most spectacular buildings exploring new vistas of architecture around the city.
Many of these buildings have become art centers, museums and galleries. They host shows and collections of art works ranging from those produced for the Habsburg royal family to ones taken from faraway countries. If you are a visitor to Vienna and want to visit the best places for checking out the artistic treasure that the city has, you will be spoilt for choice.
In fact, you would have a very hard time deciding which place to visit due to the sheer high number of museums and galleries. Even a week may seem too little a time to explore all the artistic treasure troves in the city. To help you out, here we provide you a list of the best art galleries that Vienna has to offer. For those who don’t have much time, it is important to pick these locations for visiting before you complete your trip.
MUMOK
The appearance of the building itself is a delight. It looks like a giant monolith in the color of concrete. The unique architecture of this building is only the start of your experience. When you go inside, you will come across works from the 20th and 21st century including those made by Picasso and Warhol.
This is where you can admire the greatness of abstract art and see the works of masters in this field. Today, it contains more than 9000 works of art from genres such as classical modernism and Viennese Actionism. You will also see works reflecting the socio-political history of the country.
Kunst Haus – Hundertwasser Museum
Kunst Haus, or, Art House is dedicated to the memory and works of Friedensreich Hunderstwasser. You will find paintings, designs, graphics and other types of art works of this multi-talented artist here.
The design and the architecture of the whole building is itself inspired by the architectural philosophy of Hunderstwasser and carries the imprint of his style and aesthetic sensibilities. The façade of the building itself is unique and alluring. It is not just another building but one that oozes art even from its exterior.
The works displayed here and the exhibitions organised are not restricted to the creations of the man after whom the museum is named but also other artists.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary
This gallery is devoted to modern art exclusively. So, you will see works by upcoming talented artists as well as those by the established names. The platform it provides to young artists results in this place witnessing latest innovations in the field of art. This may not be the most popular place but if you want to witness the new frontiers of art and the latest experiments in it, then this is the place to head to.
WestLicht
This is one of the largest galleries in Vienna but one dedicated to the art of photography. You will find many great exhibitions here that celebrate this art and display works from as early as 19th century. It’s location in a former glass factory lends greater uniqueness to it.
Galerie Martin Janda
Martin Janda established this gallery in 1992 and it is dedicated to the latest types of art works. It holds many exhibitions every year where leading artists of the world show their creations.
The Imperial Furniture Collection
This unique gallery displays the royal furniture used by the Habsburg royal family in the past. This is the largest collection of its kind and houses more than 165,000 items from a period extending over three centuries. You will come across various furnishing styles from Biedermeier to Viennese Modern.
This place will let you see the affluence in which the Habsburg Monarchy lived with items ranging from their thrones to commodes.
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