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Vienna Belvedere Palace: Which Museum Should You Visit?

ByTina Riegelnegg Updated on

If you’re planning to visit Belvedere Palace in Vienna, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not just one museum, but three museums in three different locations: Upper Belvedere, Lower Belvedere, and Belvedere 21.

I’ll be honest: Upper Belvedere is the only one I truly recommend to first-time visitors. It’s home to Klimt’s The Kiss, impressive historic rooms, and panoramic views over the city. The others can be a hit or miss, depending on the temporary exhibitions.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through each location, share my honest impressions, and help you decide which (if any) Belvedere museums are right for your trip.

What Is the Belvedere Palace?

The Belvedere Palace is one of Vienna’s most iconic sights, a stunning baroque complex made up of two palaces: the Upper and Lower Belvedere, connected by formal gardens.

It was built in the 18th century as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, one of Austria’s most successful military commanders.

Today, the Belvedere is more than just a palace, it’s a museum group split across three separate locations, each offering a completely different experience. Choosing the right one can make or break your visit.

Three-image collage showing the exterior of Vienna’s three Belvedere museums: the ornate Baroque-style Upper Belvedere, the elegant Lower Belvedere, and the modern glass-fronted Belvedere 21, each labeled clearly for comparison.
Scrollable Table with Sticky First Column
Location What You’ll See Worth Visiting?
Upper Belvedere Klimt, Schiele, palace rooms Yes, must-see
Lower Belvedere Temporary exhibitions, baroque interiors Only if you’re into the current exhibition
Belvedere 21 Modern art & architecture Skip unless you have free entry or love contemporary art

Tip: Combo tickets are available but only make sense if you’re genuinely interested in multiple exhibitions. Otherwise, stick to Upper Belvedere and enjoy the gardens, for free!

Upper Belvedere: The Must-See One

  • The ornate interior of a state room in the Belvedere Palace, Vienna, featuring a stunning frescoed ceiling with mythological scenes, a glittering crystal chandelier, and gilded wooden paneling. The room is filled with visitors admiring the lavish decor and arched windows that allow natural light to enhance the grandeur of the space.
  • Lavishly decorated corner of a Baroque chapel or palace room with gold detailing, sculpted angels, tall arched windows, and a large religious painting framed by carved columns.
  • Elegant museum gallery featuring classic landscape and portrait paintings on soft blue walls, with wooden wall paneling and a polished parquet floor beneath a single bench.
  • Grand Baroque staircase inside the Belvedere Palace with ornate white stucco walls, black wrought-iron chandeliers, and sculpted cherubs holding lanterns on the balustrade.
  • This image depicts Gustav Klimt's famous painting "The Kiss," characterized by its opulent golden hues and intricate patterns. The artwork features an embracing couple draped in richly decorated robes, set against a golden, shimmering background, with a floral meadow below. The dark frame enhances the luminous quality of the painting, emphasizing its romantic and ethereal essence.
  • Large oil painting of Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David, showing Napoleon heroically on horseback with a red cape, displayed in an art museum on a light gray wall.
  • Striking marble bust of a man with an exaggerated, grimacing facial expression, housed in a glass case inside an ornate Baroque room with gilded decorations and chandeliers.
  • Expressionist painting by Egon Schiele depicting a couple embracing on a bed, with raw, angular lines and muted tones, displayed on a pink wall in a modern gallery.

The Upper Belvedere is the most popular part of the Belvedere complex, and the one I always recommend for first-time visitors.

The museum is spread over three levels:

  • Ground floor: Religious paintings from the Middle Ages. It’s dark and atmospheric, but unless you’re really into religious art, it can feel repetitive.
  • First floor: The main event. This level combines famous artworks with historic palace rooms. You can also visit the Marble Hall, where the Austrian State Treaty was signed.
  • Second floor: Smaller and more modern, with works from the 1920s to 1970s. It’s usually much quieter.

Highlights include:

  • Gustav Klimt – The Kiss
  • Egon Schiele – Death and Maiden
  • Jacques-Louis David – Napoleon Crossing the Alps
  • Franz Xaver Messerschmidt – Character Heads

My Experience

It was definitely the most crowded of the three museums, especially around The Kiss, which everyone rushes to see. But even with the crowds, it’s absolutely worth it. I enjoyed the way the museum connected the artwork to the palace’s original rooms.

I also like how the rooms were themed, for example, you’ll find thematic exhibits on war, family life, and Viennese society, all with descriptions in German and English.

Most people seemed to ignore the second floor, but that’s a shame. It’s also where you’ll find Lady in White, one of Klimt’s unfinished portraits.

Practical Tips

  • Tickets: You can buy your ticket online or in person. If you buy it online (from the official site or third party resellers), you can go straight to the entrance.
  • Expect crowds: especially midday and around the Klimt Room.
  • Photography: Watch for “no photo” signs, especially on the second floor.
  • Don’t skip the second floor: It’s quieter and includes some of the museum’s most underrated works.
  • Allow at about 2 hours, or more if you enjoy taking your time.
  • Upper Belvedere has the biggest Klimt selection. Want to see more Klimt in Vienna? Here’s my full guide to where to find Klimt paintings across the city.

🎟️ Buy your ticket online to skip the ticket office queue

Lower Belvedere: Beautiful Setting, Underwhelming Exhibition

  • Lavishly decorated hall with red marble walls, white stucco sculptures, and an intricately sculpted ceiling depicting classical scenes in high relief, located in Belvedere Palace.
  • Contemporary art gallery at Belvedere 21 with minimalist design, soft lighting, and visitors observing modern and expressionist artworks along clean white and black walls.
  • Sumptuous golden mirror room with gilded walls, ornate baroque detailing, and vases displayed in alcoves, reflecting opulent décor and parquet floors beneath high white ceilings.
  • Tina takes a selfie in a room with ornate golden walls and decorative mirrors at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna. The intricate gilded details, porcelain vases, and mirrors create infinite reflections. The visitor is smiling, wearing glasses, a light gray sweatshirt, and jeans, standing on an elegant parquet floor.

The Lower Belvedere focuses on temporary exhibitions and baroque interiors, set in a smaller and more intimate space compared to the Upper Belvedere.

There are always two changing exhibitions on display, plus the Gallery of the Middle Ages, a permanent section with religious art.

Your experience here really depends on the temporary shows during your visit. It’s ideal for returning visitors or those with a specific interest in a particular exhibition.

Highlights include:

  • The Golden Room: an ornate hall with mirrors and gold detailing, easily the most beautiful space in the building

My Experience

I visited with a friend who studied art history, and we were both drawn in by the Impressionism exhibition advertised across the city. The posters featured big names like Monet, Cézanne, and Renoir, so we were expecting something major.

In reality, there was only one Monet, and the overall scope of the exhibition felt way smaller than advertised. I think my expectations were simply too high.

The Franz Xaver Messerschmidt exhibition, on the other hand, really stood out. His work is so unique, and I got to see more of his figure heads (some are also in the Upper Belvedere).

The Gallery of the Middle Ages is a permanent feature, they cover an entire wall with religious paintings. It looks cool, but it’s not very engaging if you want context, you get a basic paper catalogue and a few short descriptions.

Practical Tips

  • There are always two temporary exhibitions, check the website to see if they interest you
  • The Golden Room is near the entrance, you can’t miss it
  • The Middle Ages gallery is visually striking, but lacks detailed information
  • Plan about 90 minutes for your visit

🎟️ Buy the ticket for Lower Belvedere online

Belvedere 21: Only for Modern Art Lovers

Modern art installation in Belvedere 21 featuring tall, abstract green sculptures draped like cloaked figures with elongated limbs, standing on a reflective tiled floor under a geometric ceiling of blue and white lights.
Clean, minimalist exhibition space with small framed artworks evenly spaced along white walls, polished dark terrazzo flooring, and two simple wooden benches in the center of the room.

Just a short walk from the Upper Belvedere, Belvedere 21 is a completely different experience. Housed in a sleek glass-and-steel building, which was originally constructed for the 1958 World Exhibition in Brussels and later relocated to Vienna.

The museum usually hosts three temporary contemporary art exhibitions at a time, which may cover everything from photography and sculpture to video installations and conceptual work.

There’s also a small garden at the back with outdoor sculptures, though this was closed during my February visit.

Tina taking a selfie in front of tall mirrored panels at Belvedere 21, surrounded by abstract, draped green humanoid sculptures with elongated limbs, reflected multiple times across the mirrors in a modern exhibition space.

My Experience

When I visited, only one of the three exhibitions was open, which wasn’t made clear at the entrance. I was surprised that they still charged full price for such a limited experience. Luckily, I had free entry with the NÖ Card, otherwise I would have been really annoyed.

The exhibition itself was interesting, but very small, I was done in under 20 minutes. I also peeked into a second room that was being set up, and even that space seemed quite limited.

Practical Tips

  • Only visit if you’re really into contemporary art or have free access with the NÖ Card or Vienna Pass
  • Check which exhibitions are on during your visit
  • The outdoor sculpture garden is closed in winter (from November to April)
  • Museum building is interesting architecturally and has a unique post-war history
  • Allow about 30 minutes, unless all exhibitions are open and you want to dive deep

Belvedere Gardens

Belvedere Gardens in Between Upper and Lower Belvedere

A picturesque view of the Belvedere Gardens in Vienna, Austria, with vibrant flowerbeds of red, white, and yellow blossoms leading to the grand Upper Belvedere Palace in the background. The symmetrical landscaping features neatly trimmed hedges and pathways under a partly cloudy blue sky, with visitors strolling through the grounds.
The garden between Upper and Lower Belvedere

The Belvedere Gardens connect the Upper and Lower Belvedere and are completely free to visit, making them one of the best no-cost activities in Vienna.

Designed in the formal French style, the gardens are laid out in symmetrical terraces, with gravel paths, fountains, sculpted hedges, and benches. In spring and summer, the flowers are in full bloom and the views over the city are especially beautiful.

Botanical Garden

Sunlight filters through the canopy of tall mature trees in a botanical garden. A winding gravel path passes through a meadow of long grass and wildflowers beneath the leafy branches.
Narrow metal walkway winding through a dense bamboo grove. Tall green and tan bamboo stalks rise on both sides of the path, creating a tunnel like effect.
Flowering tree covered in bright purple blossoms spreading low over a landscaped garden. Plant beds, labels, and a variety of shrubs and flowers surround the tree on a sunny spring day.

Right next to the Belvedere grounds, you’ll find the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna, which is also free to visit.

Unlike the manicured Belvedere Gardens, it feels much more natural and wild. There are over 11,000 plant species growing here, and my favourite part was the bamboo forest, which made me feel like I’d briefly left Vienna behind.

Alpengarten

Wooden boardwalk winding through dense azalea shrubs covered in bright pink and purple blossoms. Sunlight illuminates the flowers while mature trees create a shaded garden backdrop.
Stone pathway leading through a lush botanical garden filled with shrubs, flowering plants, and small trees. Sunlight filters through the leafy canopy, casting dappled shadows across the garden beds and walkway.

Another hidden gem is the Alpengarten, a small alpine garden that costs just €4.50 to enter.

It’s usually very quiet and showcases plants from Austria’s mountain regions. Growing up in the Alps, I found it surprisingly nostalgic and one of the most unique gardens in Vienna.

Even if you don’t buy a ticket to any of the museums, the gardens around Belvedere make this area well worth visiting.

Illustrated visitor map showing the layout of the Belvedere complex in Vienna, including Upper Belvedere, Lower Belvedere, Belvedere 21, gardens, nearby landmarks, and walking distances from Karlsplatz, Stephansdom, and Hauptbahnhof.

Tips for Visiting

Ticket Tips

  • Tickets can be bought online or directly at the entrance of each museum.
  • Combination tickets are available for:
    • Upper + Lower Belvedere
    • All three locations (Upper, Lower, and Belvedere 21)
  • All locations are included in the Vienna Pass and the Bundesmuseen Card.
  • The Upper Belvedere and Belvedere 21 are included with the NÖ Card, but you’ll need to collect a physical ticket at the ticket office.

🏛️ Get the Vienna Pass now and visit all 3 Belvedere museums

General Tips

  • Arrive early to avoid tour group crowds, especially at the Upper Belvedere.
  • Check exhibition schedules before visiting Lower Belvedere or Belvedere 21, it really determines whether it’s worth going.
  • Don’t skip the gardens, they’re beautiful, free, and open year-round.
  • No-photo signs: Some artworks (especially on the second floor of Upper Belvedere) are marked as no photography, please respect those.
  • Allow enough time: About 2 hours for the Upper Belvedere, and 60 minutes for the others.
  • For a unique coffee spot, visit the nearby Aufzug Café, where you can sip your espresso inside an old elevator box, much more memorable than the museum café.

Which Belvedere Museum Should You Visit?

If it’s your first time in Vienna, the Upper Belvedere is the only one I recommend. It’s home to The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, plus works by Schiele and Messerschmidt, all inside a grand baroque palace that feels as historic as it is beautiful.

The Lower Belvedere depends entirely on the temporary exhibitions, sometimes great, sometimes underwhelming. The Golden Room is stunning, but not worth the full ticket price on its own.

Belvedere 21 is best for contemporary art lovers or those with free entry via the NÖ Card or Vienna Pass. It’s small and personally, I didn’t find it worth it.

And don’t forget, the Belvedere Gardens are free and a beautiful place to walk, no ticket needed.

Want to visit more palaces in Vienna? Read my Vienna palace guide next.

Want to see more Klimt beyond The Kiss?
👉 Check out my full guide to Klimt places in Vienna

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Collage of four interior shots from Belvedere Palace in Vienna, showcasing Baroque architecture with gold-trimmed walls and chandeliers, and iconic artworks including Gustav Klimt's "The Bride" and Egon Schiele’s expressive painting of two figures embracing. The images highlight the palace's opulence and world-class art collection.
Which Belvedere Museum in Vienna Is Worth Visiting?

Tina Riegelnegg is the founder of Austrian Veganderlust. After travelling the world and documenting her adventures on Veganderlust, she created this blog to share the beauty of her home country, Austria. Tina now focuses on helping travellers discover the best spots in Austria, including where to find the most delicious vegan food.