Kunsthistorisches Museum

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, also known as the Museum of Fine Arts, houses the impressive Habsburg art and antiquities collection. It is the largest art museum in Austria and regarded as one of the most important museums in the world. The grand, 19th century, palatial building, opened in 1891, was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I and faces the Natural History Museum across Maria-Theresien-Platz. The extensive collection includes artifacts spanning ancient Egypt well into the late 18th century. Artworks by Klimt, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Vermeer, among many other greats, adorn the lavish interiors of the museum.