The Bundesmuseen Card at a Glance
Free admission to Austria’s federal museums – including the Belvedere
Anyone looking to explore Vienna’s cultural scene will sooner or later come across the so called Bundesmuseen Card (Federal Museums Card). It provides free admission to participating Austrian federal museums and collections for one year, including all Belvedere locations.
But what exactly are these Federal Museums?
Lisa Ebner-Kollmann
Belvedere, Wien
What are the Austrian Federal Museums?
Austria’s federal museums are among the country’s most important cultural institutions. They include major art museums as well as institutions focused on architecture, design, the natural sciences, or contemporary art.
Many of these institutions not only shape Vienna’s cultural life but also enjoy a high international reputation: from the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Albertina to the Belvedere and the mumok.
The Bundesmuseen Card connects these institutions through a single annual pass, allowing visitors to explore a wide variety of collections and exhibitions flexibly throughout the year.
What does this mean for visitors to the Belvedere?
With the Bundesmuseen Card, visitors receive unlimited free admission to the Upper Belvedere, the Lower Belvedere, and Belvedere 21, as well as to numerous other museums and collections in Vienna.
This can be particularly advantageous for larger or rotating exhibitions: instead of having to see everything in a single visit, individual sections can be explored over multiple visits. At the same time, the card makes it possible to integrate museum visits more spontaneously into daily life – for example, for a quick visit to an exhibition after work or a free afternoon in the city.
Who is the Bundesmuseen Card for?
The card is ideal for anyone who wants to regularly incorporate culture into their daily life, not just visit museums once. Those who enjoy switching between classical art, architecture and design or contemporary exhibitions will appreciate the exceptionally wide range of cultural offerings it provides access to. You can visit each museum as often as you like.
For visitors to Vienna who want to see multiple museums, the card can pay for itself after just a few visits.
Bundesmuseen Card or Gold Pass?
In addition to the Bundesmuseen Card, the Belvedere also offers its own annual pass, the Gold Pass.
While the Bundesmuseen Card is particularly suitable for visitors who want to explore different institutions, the Gold Pass is primarily aimed at those who wish to experience the Belvedere regularly and more intensively – including additional benefits related to exhibitions and events, such as guided tours.
Which card is a better fit therefore depends primarily on how and where you visit museums.
Experience culture more flexibly
Not every museum visit has to be planned well in advance. Annual passes make it possible to experience exhibitions more spontaneously and relaxed – without having to organize each visit individually.
The Bundesmuseen Card offers numerous opportunities for this: at the Belvedere, in many other Viennese museums, and often for the occasional unplanned cultural visit in between.
• Separate regulations may apply to certain special formats or events; it is best to check directly with the respective museums for details
• For highly popular exhibitions, we recommend checking current notices and time slots
• Buy the Federal Museums Card online now
