Founded by the Habsburgs and now one of Europe’s preeminent museums
This neoclassical palace in Vienna’s historic center was built for the Habsburgs and later named for Prince Albert Casimir, whose magnificent collection of Old Master works on paper was its founding collection. It is still home to the world’s finest collection of Albrecht Dürer drawings. Following the arrival of the visionary director Klaus Schröder in 1999, and a new remit focused on modern and contemporary collecting, the Albertina has transformed into one of the 100 most-visited art museums in the world. Its holdings include important works by leading impressionists, post-impressionists, German expressionists, fauvists and members of the Russian avant-garde. In 2007, the Herbert Batliner donation became one of the most valuable of its kind to date, containing masterpieces by Monet, Picasso, Bacon, and many more, and in 2020, the major satellite museum Albertina Modern opened to showcase works made after 1945. Programming at the Albertina now spans paintings, sculptures, photography and video art alongside works on paper.
