10/10/2022     by Justin Gibson

Can’t-Miss Obscure Museums of Vienna

Home to innumerable museums, palaces, churches, art galleries, coffeehouses, opera houses, orchestras, wine taverns and parks than you could possibly hope to count, Vienna may seem like a true manifestation of European culture. But, for every quintessential spot of luxe culture and tasteful history, there’s a place of unexpected playfulness, whimsical curiosity and obscure delight. While visits to the Belvedere and Hofburg palaces are absolutes for any visit to Vienna, any world traveler worth their passport stamps knows visiting museums is the prime way to enjoy an afternoon in a foreign city — and the more obscure the museum, the better. The next time you find yourself in Vienna, try sprinkling some of these outside-the-ordinary museums into your sightseeing.

Museum of Art Fakes

Museum of Art Fakes

While there aren’t too many cities in the world that can rival the selection of priceless art housed in all of Vienna’s art museums, one of the more memorable museums doesn’t have a single original piece of art in any of its halls — the Fälschermuseum, or Museum of Art Fakes. Adorning these halls are some of the most famous fakes in the world, verifiable works of art in the world of forgery. Whether it’s the most famous painting Vermeer never actually painted or the certifiable diaries of Hitler not actually written by Hitler, the only thing more interesting than the pieces are the “artist’s” storied careers.

 

Museum of Natural History, Vienna

Natural History Museum

While it may not make top billing of Vienna’s historic offerings, thanks to storied palaces and revolutionary art, the selection at Vienna’s Natural History Museum is historic in itself — it feels like the life’s work of an 18th-century globe-trotting naturalist. With each room more beautiful than the last, the ornate carved ceilings and warm wooden floors sandwich between them endless rows of glass cases containing taxidermized specimens. The initial sense of macabre gives way to raw curiosity quite quickly: Where else can you gawk close up at tigers, polar bears, elephants, walruses, the world’s largest meteorite exhibit and a life-size animatronic model of a young allosaurus from the Jurassic period? Nowhere else in Vienna anyway.

 

Sigmund Freud Museum

Sigmund Freud Museum

The former home and office of the late, great Dr. Sigmund Freud houses an impressive array of his legacy: papers, antiques, personal items and more all tie together to reconstruct what his impact was on modern society. While the psychological community currently considers his theories to be mostly inaccurate, it’s still interesting to see the 35,000 volumes of psychoanalytic research in the accompanying library.

 

Did this get your gears turning on what your next getaway could entail? Reach out and connect with one of our travel agents. Not only do they have a plethora of hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path destinations to recommend, but they also have close working relationships with the leading names in travel. For example: Viking has dedicated the last two and a half decades to making travel more culturally immersive; over 250 awards later, it’s clear to see they excel at it. For a truly immersive river cruise experience through Europe’s fabled ports, you can’t go wrong with Viking.

 

Connect with our travel agency today to get started planning your dream European cruise.

 

Plan your next trip with
Janice
Oak Hill, VA
Let's Plan Your Next Trip

We are here to help you turn your travel dreams into reality. contact us today!

Janice Host
Janice Host
Oak Hill, VA
Family, Friends and Corporate travel
Nikki Hendrix
Nikki Hendrix
Leesburg, VA
Agent Specializing in Disney, Universal and Cruise
Danielle Rayford
Danielle Rayford
Haymarket, VA
Disney, Cruising, & All-Inclusive Resorts Advisor
How does this work?
Why use a travel agent?
Why use Travel Leaders?

Travel Leaders Network is the largest network of professional travel agents in North America. Wherever you want to go, however you want to get there — we have a travel agent for you.

Magnifying Loupe
Explore
Our database of travel experts & specialists
Phone
Connect
With an agent via text, email or phone
Airplane
Enjoy
A stress-free vacation with a professional by your side