The Wien Museum on Karlsplatz might be the best deal in Vienna: its permanent collection on 2,000 years of city history is free. For nothing at all you get a huge model of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, paintings by Klimt, Adolf Loos’s living room and a whale called Poldi. Below you’ll find what to see, which exhibitions are on in winter 2026/27, what they cost, and why you should finish your visit on the roof.
Is the Wien Museum worth it?
Yes, and especially if museums usually aren’t your thing. The permanent exhibition, Wien. Meine Geschichte (Vienna. My History), tells the city’s story in chronological order: from the Romans through the Ottoman sieges and the building of the Ringstraße to Red Vienna and the present day. That’s around 1,700 objects over three floors, plus more than 100 media stations. Walk through the old town afterwards and you’ll suddenly understand why the Ringstraße runs exactly where it does: it follows the line of the old city wall.
You want the big picture of Vienna before you explore it, it’s raining, you’re travelling with kids, or your budget took a hit after Schönbrunn and the Giant Ferris Wheel.
You only have one museum slot and want world-famous masterpieces. This is a city museum, not the Kunsthistorisches Museum or the Albertina. Its strength is the story, not the star pieces.
The building: post-war architecture with a floating new roof
The plain building on the edge of Karlsplatz was designed by Oswald Haerdtl and opened in 1959. For decades it was considered too small and too grey for the collection. Between 2020 and 2023 it was renovated and extended: a new top floor for special exhibitions now seems to hover above the old building, and an extra storage level was dug out under the forecourt. The museum reopened on 6 December 2023, and the permanent collection has been free ever since.
What to see in the permanent collection
You don’t need to read every display case. These four stops cover the essentials:
The St. Stephen’s model and Poldi the whale
The central hall holds a model of St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) that stands about 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall. Above it hangs Poldi, a 10-metre (33 ft) whale that used to be a sideshow attraction in the Prater. This is usually the moment kids realise this museum is different.
Gothic Vienna and the Donnerbrunnen figures
Original Gothic statues from St. Stephen’s and the original figures of the Donnerbrunnen, the fountain on Neuer Markt. What you see on the square today are bronze copies; Georg Raphael Donner’s real lead figures are kept here.
Klimt, Schiele and Vienna around 1900
Paintings by Gustav Klimt, including his portrait of his long-time companion Emilie Flöge, plus works by Egon Schiele and objects from the Wiener Werkstätte design workshop. A smaller selection than at the Belvedere, but without the crowds in front of The Kiss.
Real Viennese living rooms
The living room of architect Adolf Loos and the apartment of poet Franz Grillparzer, both moved into the museum in their entirety. The only way to get closer to how the Viennese actually lived is to be invited home for coffee.
One floor up, city models, photographs and everyday objects cover the 20th century: Red Vienna and its Gemeindebauten (municipal housing blocks), the Nazi era and the post-war years. Give this part some time. It’s heavier and more serious than the rest of the museum.
Special exhibitions in winter 2026/27
The special exhibitions on the new top floor are the only part of the main building you pay for. This is what’s on this winter:
| Exhibition | Dates | What it’s about |
|---|---|---|
| Farbenspiel. Mode aus vier Jahrhunderten | 1 Oct 2026 – 28 Mar 2027 | Four centuries of fashion from the museum’s own collection, arranged by colour |
| Down-Syndrom. Über uns, mit uns | 22 Oct 2026 – 24 Jan 2027 | An exhibition on Down syndrome, created together with people who have it |
| Franz West und Wien | 6 Nov 2026 – 2 May 2027 | The Viennese sculptor Franz West and his city |
As of October 2026. For the current programme, check wienmuseum.at.
Wien Museum tickets and opening hours 2027
| Ticket | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent collection Wien. Meine Geschichte | Free | For everyone, no ticket needed |
| Special exhibition, adults | approx. €8–12 | Depends on the exhibition |
| Special exhibition, concessions | approx. €6–10 | Students and seniors |
| Under 19 | Free | Including all special exhibitions |
| First Sunday of the month | Free | Special exhibitions free for everyone, no reservations |
| With the Vienna City Card | Discount | 25% off special exhibitions, according to wien.info |
The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 6pm, Thursday until 9pm, and on weekends from 10am to 6pm. It’s closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Because the permanent collection is free, you don’t need a city pass for the Wien Museum. When a pass does pay off is covered in our guide to Vienna city passes.
Current exhibitions on wienmuseum.at
💡 Local tip: When you’re done, take the lift all the way up. The roof terrace is open to everyone, ticket or not, and looks straight at the dome of the Karlskirche and across Karlsplatz. The café up there, „& töchter“, doesn’t take reservations; on the ground floor, restaurant „trude“ has a garden. Thursday evenings, when the museum stays open until 9pm, are the quietest time on the roof.
Around Karlsplatz
The museum sits in one of the most rewarding corners of Vienna. Right next door is the Baroque Karlskirche, and across the square stand Otto Wagner’s two Jugendstil Stadtbahn pavilions, which also belong to the Wien Museum. The Naschmarkt is a five-minute walk away, the State Opera ten.
During Advent, the Art Advent craft market sets up in front of the Karlskirche. It’s one of the most relaxed Christmas markets in town, and museum first, Punsch second works particularly well here. Dates and hours are in our guide to the Vienna Christmas markets.
The other Wien Museum locations
The Wien Museum also runs around a dozen smaller sites across the city, from Roman ruins to one of Beethoven’s apartments. The same rules apply everywhere: free under 19, and free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
| Location | What you’ll see | Admission | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Römermuseum Hoher Markt 3, 1010 | Remains of officers’ quarters from the Roman legionary camp of Vindobona | approx. €8 | Regular hours |
| Virgilkapelle Stephansplatz U-Bahn station | A 13th-century Gothic chapel, 12 metres below Stephansplatz | approx. €5 | Regular hours |
| Beethoven Museum Probusgasse 6, 1190 | The house in Heiligenstadt where Beethoven wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament | approx. €8 | Regular hours |
| Beethoven Pasqualatihaus Mölker Bastei 8, 1010 | One of Beethoven’s many Vienna apartments, right on the Ringstraße | approx. €5 | Regular hours |
| Uhrenmuseum (Clock Museum) Schulhof 2, 1010 | Six centuries of clocks and watches in an old house behind Am Hof | approx. €8 | Reduced hours since July 2026 |
| Pratermuseum in the Prater | History of the Prater and the Wurstelprater amusement park | approx. €8 | Fri–Sun, winter break until mid-March 2027 |
| Hermesvilla Lainzer Tiergarten | Empress Sisi’s retreat in the game reserve on the edge of the city | approx. €8 | 2 May – 30 September only |
| Otto Wagner Pavilion Karlsplatz Karlsplatz, 1040 | Jugendstil station building of the old Stadtbahn, opposite the main museum | approx. €5 | 2 May – 30 September only |
| musa Felderstraße 6–8, 1010 | Contemporary art from the city’s collection, next to the Rathaus | approx. €8 | Regular hours |
Cutbacks in 2026: because of city budget cuts, several locations are temporarily closed: the Haydnhaus, the Johann Strauss apartment, the Neidhart Festsaal and Schubert’s death house. Schubert’s birthplace is being renovated and is expected to reopen in 2028.
The Mozarthaus in Domgasse is not part of the Wien Museum and has its own prices. Prices above are from the Wien Museum price list and may change.
Visiting the Wien Museum with kids
For families the maths is easy: anyone under 19 gets in free everywhere, and the permanent collection is free anyway. Poldi and the cathedral model work even on kids who couldn’t care less about history, and the media stations help with the rest. For a full family day, though, the Natural History Museum with its dinosaurs is the better choice. More ideas in Vienna with kids.
How to get to the Wien Museum
| Transport | Stop |
|---|---|
| U1, U2, U4 | Karlsplatz, exit Resselpark, about 3 minutes on foot |
| Tram 1 | Resselgasse |
| Tram 62, Badner Bahn | Karlsplatz |
| On foot | About 10 minutes from the State Opera, 15 minutes from Stephansplatz |
Karlsplatz is one of the busiest hubs in Vienna’s public transport network, so from almost anywhere in the city you’ll get there directly or with one change. How tickets and lines work is explained in our guide to public transport in Vienna.
Wien Museum FAQ
Is the Wien Museum really free?
The permanent exhibition „Wien. Meine Geschichte“ on Karlsplatz has been free for everyone since the museum reopened in December 2023. You only pay for the special exhibitions, which cost roughly €8 to €12.
What are the Wien Museum opening hours?
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 6pm, Thursday 9am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
How much time do you need at the Wien Museum?
1.5 to 2 hours is enough for the permanent collection. Add a special exhibition and a coffee on the roof terrace and you’re looking at about 3 hours.
When are the special exhibitions free?
On the first Sunday of every month, for all visitors. Children and teenagers under 19 never pay admission at any Wien Museum location.
Can you visit the Wien Museum roof terrace without a ticket?
Yes. The roof terrace is open to everyone and has a direct view of the Karlskirche dome and Karlsplatz. The café up there doesn’t take reservations.
Is the Mozarthaus part of the Wien Museum?
No. Mozarthaus Vienna in Domgasse is a separate museum with its own prices. Wien Museum locations include the Roman Museum, the Virgilkapelle, the Beethoven Museum, the Clock Museum and the Hermesvilla.
Plan the rest of your visit
Photo credit: Opening photo © Wien Museum/Lisa Rastl