Vienna is Austria’s largest city and home to some of the most well-respected arts and culture institutions in the world. The city’s rich heritage and complex history tell the tale of great empires, devastating wars and groundbreaking artistic achievements. From the lavish ballroom parties to open-air concerts, Vienna’s art scene makes it a wonderfully thrilling travel destination. Plan an art-inspired tour of Vienna as you pick and choose from the following categories.

The Ultimate Arts & Culture Guide for Vienna

• Fine Art
• Dance
• Museums
• Music
• Royal Palaces

Fine Art

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna’s Art History Museum, offers an extensive collection of art from the imperial family’s collection. Built in 1891, the museum offers visitors the largest Bruegel collection in the world, as well as notable works from Europe, Egypt and the Near East. The museum’s expansive permanent collection offers works by Raphael, Vermeer, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Titian and Tintoretto, among others. Don’t miss the Kunstkammer, the cabinet of curiosities, which is a museum within a museum. Opened in 2013, this collection from the Habsburgs includes artworks and unique objects from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Once finished with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, head across the Maria Theresien Platz to the Museum of Natural History, a near identical building. While there, don’t miss the chance to marvel at an artifact that is thought to be almost 30,000 years old – a figure titled Venus of Willendorf.

The ultimate arts & culture guide for Vienna would not be complete without mentioning The Kiss located at the Belvedere in Vienna’s third district. It is a historic building complex that consists of two Baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery and the Palace Stables. Belvedere Museum offers the largest collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt (1862–1918), an Austrian symbolist painter and member of the Vienna Secession Movement. There are 24 Klimt paintings on display including The Kiss, which is considered to be one of Austria’s most famous artworks. Other collections in the museum include notable works from the Middle-Ages, Baroque and Classicism periods. In addition to Klimt, other collection highlights include works by Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka.

Dance

Dance is just one of the reasons that Vienna is the best European city for art lovers. The Viennese waltz, a style of dance that was recently added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, is a cherished piece of Austria’s heritage. Considered to be the original waltz, this ballroom classic can be experienced at venues throughout the city, especially during Viennese ball season, which runs from November through Carnival season until February. With more than 400 balls hosted each year, these events transport guests back in time to when Austrian composer Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899) premiered the Blue Danube Waltz in 1867. From the Vienna Opera Ball to the Ball of the Viennese Chimney Sweeps, guests wear formal attire of gowns and tuxedos, while drinking local wine and dancing to that iconic three-four time step.

The Vienna State Ballet, or Wiener Staatsballett, is a first-rate dance company with four premieres, one gala and ten repertoire works scheduled at the Vienna State Opera and Volksoper for the 2019/20 season. This will be the last season for director, Manuel Legris, a former Danseur Etoile of the Paris Opera Ballet. Season highlights include Jewels by George Balanchine and set to music by Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, as well as an evening with three pieces titled Movements to Stravinsky, Between Dogs and Wolves (world premiere). The annual Nureyev Gala will end the season on June 25, 2020.

Museums

Queue the “Harry Lime” zither music, please. “I never knew the old Vienna before the war with its Strauss music, its glamour and easy charm.” This is the opening line to one of the best films ever made, The Third Man. Made in 1948, this film noir was directed by Carol Reed and starred Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells. Film fans can get a closer look at this black and white classic at the Third Man Museum, located near Vienna’s Naschmarkt (only open on Saturdays from 2 to 6 pm). With more than 2,000 artifacts and original documents, the exhibition showcases behind-the-scene memorabilia, as well as information about Vienna’s occupation period between 1945–1955, which provides the film its context. Highlights include the original screenplays, cameras used on set, little Hansel’s cap and a functioning cinema projector from 1936. The Third Man Tours are also available, so visitors can experience famous locations around Vienna that were featured in the film, such as the Prater Ferris Wheel, Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) and the older parts of Vienna’s sewer system. If that wasn’t enough, the Burg Kino cinema screens the film at least three times a week; check their website for showtimes.

Mozarthaus Vienna was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s (1756–1791) residence from 1748 until 1787. It is the only surviving apartment in which the famous Austrian composer lived while in Vienna. Located at Domgrasse number 5, the first floor, Mozart’s apartment, features four large rooms and a kitchen. According to Visit Vienna, Mozart penned his best compositions in this residence, including The Marriage of Figaro and three of the six Haydn Quartets. With six levels, there is plenty to see at the Mozarthaus, which opened on the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth, on January 27, 2006. Curated by the Wien Museum, the exhibition features photos and documents that tell the story of one of the world’s most famous composers.

Music

The Vienna State Opera, or Wiener Staatsoper, is considered to be one of the most important opera houses in the world. Under the direction of Dominique Meyer, the opera presents roughly 50 performances each year with the program changing daily. Located just off the city’s Ringstraße, the Vienna State Opera is a cornerstone of Viennese culture and a point of pride for city dwellers since its opening in 1869 with a performance of Mozart’s Don Juan. The opera has been led by many notable directors, including Johann von Herbeck, Gustav Mahler and Karl Böhm.

Founded in 1842 by Otto Nicolai, the Vienna Philharmonic is considered to be one of the best orchestras in the world. From Mahler to Strauss, the orchestra performs Viennese classics for audiences from around the world. The New Year’s Concert is one of the hottest tickets in the city, which is televised live from the Grand Hall of the Muskiverein. For those looking to attend this annual concert in person, it will take a bit of luck considering tickets are drawn through the Philharmonic’s website. If you’re looking to visit Vienna in the summer, check out the Summer Night Concert held annually in June. This open-air concert is performed in front of Schönbrunn Palace and it is free to the public.

Royal Palaces

The Hofburg, Vienna’s Imperial Palace, should be worked into your Vienna travel bucket list. With sections of the palace dating back to the 13th century, this expansive property was the residence and seat of government of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. Visitors can easily spend an entire day exploring this royal palace and its surrounding grounds and museums. Start with the Imperial Apartments and see how Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” (1837–1898) and Emperor Franz Joseph (1830–1916) lived during their reign. The Sisi Museum provides a closer look at the life of one of Europe’s most famous monarchs known for her beauty and petite figure. Don’t miss the Imperial Treasury and the Spanish Riding School.

The park at Schönbrunn Palace is the perfect place to spend the day during the warmer summer months. Opened to the public in 1780, the gardens and park surrounding the Baroque palace offer roughly one square kilometer of beautifully kept outdoor space. This massive property formerly served as the summer residence of the Habsburgs since 1569. The park, along with the palace and its Rococo interiors, has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1996. The surrounding park also includes the Imperial Carriage Museum, Crown Prince Garden, Orangery Garden, Maze & Labyrinth, Zoo, Palm House and Desert Experience House.