As tickets for major historical sites and museums in Austria can cost upwards of €10 per person, there are big savings to be made if you go at the right time (or if you happen to be the right age!). 

Many of the city’s museums are free to enter on the first Sunday of each month, some are free to children under 19 and others are completely free for everyone all year round.

Free entry on the first Sunday of the month

Vienna has a permanent scheme whereby you can visit certain museums for free on the first Sunday of each month – it’s understandably a hit with both tourists and residents.

It includes over 15 museums that otherwise charge entry, including some of The Local’s favourites.

There’s the Hermes Villa, dubbed the ‘Palace of Dreams’ by Sisi, aka Empress Elisabeth, who received it as a gift from her husband. The romantic 19th century mansion takes its name from the statue of Hermes in its idyllic gardens. The entry fee is usually €7. 

The Beethoven Museum where the German composer wrote some of his most famous music is also on the list. The small apartment-turned-museum (where the composer lived and worked) on the outskirts of the city offers insights into his work and the impact of his growing deafness. The lock of hair, which helped uncover the cause of his death, is also on show. It usually costs €8 per person to visit.

Free entry for those under the age of 19

And if you’re lucky enough to be under 19, there’s an even longer list (more than 20 museums) to choose from where you’ll be guaranteed free entry.

The huge collection of works by major names in the art world and an immense graphic art collection (think Leonardo Da Vinci to Klimt and Schiele), means a visit to the Albertina is always worth it. General admission is €18.90.

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Vienna’s Natural History Museum, founded 270 years ago, is also on the list. There are plenty of interactive displays in the ornate building, helping you learn more about dinosaurs – there’s an animatronic allosaurus – meteorites, prehistoric times and zoology. It’s also home to the 29,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf statue – the faceless 11cm-tall figurine is thought to be one of the oldest surviving works of art. The History of Art Museum on the other side of the square is also on the list. Those over 19 pay €16 to get in.

Free entry for all, all year round

There are over 25 museums, galleries and monuments in Vienna, including the interactive fun of the Circus and Clown Museum and experimental art studio Das Weisse Haus, where everyone can go in for free all year round. 

What else should I know?

You can find a full list of the sites included and links to further information for each on the City of Vienna’s website here (in German only).