There’s no better place to discover rich culture than within Vienna’s enthralling museums.

The Smithsonian. The Met. The Guggenheim. The Louvre. When we think of internationally-renowned museums, these are some of the names that come to mind. But Vienna, perhaps best-known as being the former home of the infamous imperial family, the Habsburgs, was also once a vibrant community of artists and musicians whose timeless works are yours to discover throughout this fascinating Austrian capital.

Museum of Fine Arts

A work of art in itself, this elaborately carved 19th-century museum is a tribute to the Habsburg’s collection of artistic treasures. Inside, you’ll find everything from Ancient Egyptian and Greek and Roman Antiquities to Medieval Art, Renaissance paintings and Baroque works. Artists on display include Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Raphael. Some of the museum’s collections are housed with the Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palace. You’ll also find centuries-old sculptures, coins, jewelry, costumes and even musical instruments, as well as works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the most significant artist of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, whose realistic portraits focused primarily on peasants.

Mozarthaus Vienna

From “Turkish March” to “The Marriage of Figaro,” the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart have delighted audiences for centuries. Though he was born in Salzburg, the famed composer lived in Vienna for a decade, spending some of his most prolific years in Domgasse 5, the only one of Mozart’s Viennese apartments that still exists today. Now a three-story museum, Mozarthaus provides a quaint exhibition on 18th-century history as it relates to Mozart, as well as an exhibit on his music and a replica of what his apartment would have looked like during the time he wrote the world-famous opera “The Marriage of Figaro.”

The Albertina Museum

Once the residence of Habsburg archdukes and archduchesses, the Albertina Museum of Vienna encompasses five different collections: paintings & sculpture, drawings & prints, photography, architecture and state rooms. Inside, you’ll have the opportunity to gaze at colorful paintings from artists like Monet and Picasso, glance at sketches drawn by Klimt and Dürer, check out incredible black and white photography from the likes of Trcka and Brassaï, and walk through 20 intricately adorned and restored Habsburg State Rooms, complete with sculptures and glittering chandeliers. This incredible collection of historic European art is located less than a mile from the Danube banks and is more than worthy of a visit.

House of Music

There’s no better city in which to visit an interactive sound museum. Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Liszt, Mahler and Strauss all once lived and worked in Vienna. Discover music on both playful and scientific levels, virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, listen to the works of great composers, record your own CD in the Sound Gallery, and find a whole new appreciation for the musical arts in this incredible multistory museum.

MOYA (Museum of Young Art)

This groundbreaking museum of contemporary art showcases works produced since the year 2000, representing emerging artists under the age of 40. Here you’ll find digital art, spray can graffiti, installations and other works from young artists around the world. See how the next generation views the world and perhaps you’ll even discover the next Andy Warhol!

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