KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM, Introduction

Hi, my name’s Marcy, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the Wonders of the World: the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum, or Museum of Art History, is home to the imperial collections of Vienna. The main building, designed by Gottfried Semper, looks onto Maria-Theresien-Platz.

The museum was opened in 1891, after lengthy construction work, due especially to the lavish decoration. The interior is replete with fine marble and decorative frescoes, in which the painter Gustav Klimt played a part. The museum, called simply "Kunst," meaning "art," is rightly considered one of the most important and richest museums in the world, in particular for its extraordinary picture gallery. It is actually divided into numerous sections, ranging from archeology to applied arts, and features armor, musical instruments, ethnographical exhibits, jewelry and imperial carriages, with immense collections spread across several buildings, also located outside Vienna, such as Ambras Castle near Innsbruck, which houses art collections related to Emperor Ferdinand II....