The Albertina is both a historic monument and a prestigious museum, showcasing its collections through exhibitions that are renewed several times a year.

Welcome to the Habsburgs

Close to the Hofburg Palace, the Albertina opens its doors to another palace, that of the Habsburgs, with its ceremonial rooms restored to their original furnishings. Here lived Archduchess Maria Christina, daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, and her husband, Duke Albert of Saxony-Teschen. Marquetry flooring, silk-upholstered walls, chandeliers and richly crafted objects bear witness to the splendor of the period. Built in 1801 to house the drawings, prints and watercolors collected by the Duke, the Palais Albertina is now a modern museum of international renown.

A rich collection, a breeding ground for remarkable exhibitions

The Albertina's graphic arts collection is one of the richest in the world: nearly a million prints and over 65,000 drawings by masters such as Dürer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as modern works by Édouard Manet, Modigliani, Cézanne, Klimt and Schiele. The works conserved at the museum make it possible to mount a succession of remarkable exhibitions, the visit to which alone justifies a stay in Vienna. The museum enjoyed record attendance, thanks in particular to exhibitions devoted to Albrecht Dürer, Van Gogh and Raphael. The Habsburg collection has been joined by that of Herbert Batliner (1828-2019), a great collector and patron of the arts who, in 2000, donated the Propter Homines room to host major temporary exhibitions, followed by his very rich collection of modern paintings, enabling the staging of exhibitions by Picasso, Magritte, Max Ernst and Matisse.

On permanent display, from Monet to Picasso

The Albertina's permanent exhibition begins with Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists such as Degas, Monet, Cézanne and Gauguin. German Expressionism is represented with works from the Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter groups, and the New Objectivity (1918-1933). Austria is represented by Kokoschka and Egger-Lienz. The great diversity of the Russian avant-garde is expressed by Goncharova, Malevitch and Chagall. Picasso's masterpieces are added, from his early cubist paintings to works from the 1940s.

The evolution of the nude since Michelangelo

From mid-September 2023 to mid-January 2024, the Albertina presents Michelangelo and After. The pretext is the Renaissance master and his depiction of the nude. This new vision of the dynamic body had a major influence on artists of his time and beyond. We discover works by Raphael, Dürer, Rembrandt, Mengs, Rubens, Boucher, Klimt and Schiele, each of whom developed their own perception of the body, whether through emulation, evolution or outright rejection of the ideal represented by Michelangelo. Key works by Michelangelo, including the Seated Nude Young Man and drawings from the Sistine Chapel, are presented. Raphael's nudes in red chalk, Dürer's meticulous representations and Rembrandt's realistic bodies are must-sees. The exhibition concludes with pieces by Klimt and Schiele, marking the decline of the canon.

Gottfried Helnwein, 20 years of manifesto

From October 25, 2023 to February 18, 2024, the Albertina is devoting an exhibition to Gottfried Helnwein, a painter, draughtsman, photographer, muralist and sculptor born in Vienna in 1948. Using a wide variety of techniques and media, Helnwein also expresses himself through installations and performances. From the outset, this provocative artist was committed to social criticism. The Albertina Museum is showcasing his work over the last two decades. His work is characterized by a fascination with pain, injury and violence. One of his central motifs remains the figure of the vulnerable, defenseless child as a kind of proxy, embodying all psychological and societal anxieties. His hyperrealistic paintings, based on photographs, impress with their technical perfection. A powerful exhibition!

And Nara at the modern Albertina

A 10-minute walk away, the Albertina moderne, inaugurated in 2020, is a major museum of modern and contemporary art, with a rich collection of Austrian, German and American artists, including works by Andy Warhol. In 2023, for more than five months, the modern Albertina presented an exhibition by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, born in 1959: "All my little words". Nara is known for his Angry Girls, highly stylized images of girls with vampire fangs and daggers in hand. This 40-year retrospective unfolds his work from early drawings on scraps of paper, envelopes, flyers or corrugated cardboard, through paintings and sculptures, to a large-scale installation. The influence of music, literature, subculture and pop culture, as well as the artist's socio-political preoccupations, are evident. An emotional spectrum revealing vulnerability as well as rebellion.

FUTURE INFO

When is it open?

The Albertina is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, Wednesday and Friday until 9 pm. The modern Albertina is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. The Albertina restaurant is open until 11pm (except Sundays, when it closes at 6pm).

Duration

The Albertina's temporary exhibitions generally last three months. They are slightly out of step with each other, but correspond roughly to the seasons.

Plan several visits. At least half a day for the permanent collections, half a day for the temporary exhibitions. Add a stopover at the café-restaurant and gift store. To avoid queuing at the entrance, buy your tickets online.

Public

Most exhibitions are ideal for families.

All the museum's public areas are accessible to all. Visitors with disabilities have free access.

Highlights

Audioguides with texts designed like a radio soap opera, combining atmosphere and information, accompany you on a personalized tour through the exhibitions and ceremonial rooms of the Habsburgs.

On-sitecafé and restaurant.

The minuses

As far as the Habsburg ceremonialrooms are concerned, it's best not to visit on a day when a wedding is being held on the premises, otherwise your visit will be cut short.

The Albertina'srestaurant is very busy and often fully booked!

Useful

ALBERTINA

Albertinaplaz 1, 1010 Wien

Adults: €18.90, concessions for over-65s and under-26s: €14.90, with disabled card: €7, with Vienna City Card: €14, under-19s: free.

ALBERTINA MODERN - Further information at

Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Wien

Adults: €14.90, concessions for over-65s and under-26s: €12.90, free for visitors with disabilities. Vienna City Card: €12.90.

Group ticket for the 2 Albertinas: €24.90 and €19.90

Tel: +43 1 534 830