Built in 1891 to house the Imperial family’s extensive art collection, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is considered one of the most important art museums in the world. Spanning five millennia, from Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance to Baroque and the modern era, artworks are resplendently presented in the magnificent settings of the grandest decor.
On your private guided tour, you will:
- Explore the largest art museum in Austria and one of the most eminent museums in the world;
- Stroll the beautiful galleries and halls decorated with gold leaf, marble, and stucco;
- See the highlights of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, including the richly decorated Offering Chapel of Ka-ni-Nisut, numerous sarcophagi, and coffins;
- Admire works by Great Masters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, Velázquez, Raphael, Vermeer and Klimt;
- Marvel at the largest Pieter Bruegel the Elder collection in the world, including The Tower of Babel, which is around 61 inches wide by 44 inches tall;
- Visit the Kunstkammer Collection of Curiosities, where you will get to see the world-renowned 'Saliera';
- Discuss the evolution of Renaissance art and the techniques and influences of the genre;
- Enjoy the architectural splendour of the truly magnificent building - world-class art in itself;
- End the tour in the magnificent domed hall that houses the museum cafe, after which you are free to continue exploring the collections at your own pace.
Commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary himself at a time of considerable investment into the city’s rich, vibrant art and cultural scene, the museum’s eminent works include the single largest exhibit of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a celebrated Dutch and Flemish Renaissance artist famous for his landscapes and bucolic peasant scenes.
The Private Highlights Tour of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum will connect you with the pieces throughout time. We will cut through the crowds to reach some exceptional examples of European art history, such as Raphael’s "Madonna in the Meadow," Vermeer’s "The Allegory of Painting”, Rembrandt’s 1652 self-portrait, and Velazquez’s Infanta paintings - including his most celebrated oil, “Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress” produced in 1659, a year before his death.
With the invaluable inside knowledge of our expert guide, we will stroll opulent gold-and-stucco galleries to browse glorious masterpieces by Ruben, Rembrandt, Dürer, and Titian. Discuss the inspiration behind the Renaissance era’s greatest paintings and sculptures and debate emerging techniques that often echoed exciting evolutions in philosophy, literature, and music.
Your private, expert guide will help you seek out curious, rare treasures that offer fascinating insights into mysterious Eastern cultures together with antiquities from Greek and Roman history. Among the highlights are the richly decorated Offering Chapel of Ka-ni-nisus, numerous sarcophagi and coffins, objects of daily life such as clothing and cosmetic articles, masterpieces of sculpture such as the Reserve Head from Giza, as well as a depiction of a lion from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.
Marvel at the splendour of the museum's octagonal dome roof, in itself a breathtaking work of art. Your tour ends inside the Museum where you can continue exploring the collections at your own pace.