The Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum) is one of the world’s most important natural history collections, housed in a grand 19th-century palace on Vienna’s Ringstrasse directly across from its twin, the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
The museum holds roughly 30 million objects spanning meteorites, dinosaur skeletons, minerals, and the famous 29,500-year-old “Venus of Willendorf” figurine, one of the oldest known works of art. Its lavishly frescoed halls and cupola are landmarks in their own right, and a rooftop terrace offers panoramic views over the city center.
The museum is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; it is closed Tuesdays. Weekday mornings and Wednesday evenings tend to be quietest.
