One of the youngest museums for modern and contemporary art in Vienna, but also one of the most prestigious: the Heidi Horten Collection (HHC) at the edge of the Hofburg palace area.
- Highlights from a major private collection
- Permanent & special exhibitions
- Enjoy names like Warhol, Basquiat, Klimt, & more
- What special exhibitions are on?
- Book entrance tickets* to the collection
- See also:
Historical site, modern art
(The collection adds to the contemporary art palette at Vienna’s centre)
The Hanuschhof in Vienna’s first district looks back on a long history that began as a graveyard for the local Roman settlement.
Fast forward a few centuries and Caesar gives way to Chagall thanks to the presence of the Heidi Horten Collection: a museum and showcase for a prestigious private collection of modern and contemporary art.
Opened in 2022, the museum occupies a former archducal chancellory which has been completely redesigned to create a modern museal environment.
What’s on offer?
The institution owes its existence to the efforts of Heidi Goëss-Horten (1941-2022) as initiator and founder: the location is Palais Goëss-Horten and the art inside drawn from a remarkable collection she put together over the decades.
(Main entrance to the collection; press photo by Rupert Steiner and © Heidi Horten Collection)
A large atrium forms most of the ground floor and hosts the permanent exhibition: around 50 works revealing a diversity of eras and art movements.
That display features names like Chagall, Basquiat, Warhol, Klimt, Hirst, Bacon, Picasso, and the kind of contemporary names you see with solo exhibitions at places like the Albertina or Belvedere.
Two more levels (and several smaller rooms) above provide space for a series of special exhibitions that offer further public access to a collection of art that stretches from around 1900 through to today. Recent examples include:
- The We❤ exhibition offered masterpieces from a veritable who’s who of the modern art world
- Light Sound Senses combined collection highlights with custom installations and immersive experiences that addressed the senses
- Experiment Expressionism explored the expressionist movement in the form of paintings, photos, and silent film
- Vienna, Vienna, Only You had comparative views of the city by three artists: one contemporary and two from the 19th century
It may sound strange to say, but the focus really seems primarily on experiencing the works. No café or shop to distract you. And the light airy galleries make the art particularly accessible.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
An entrance ticket for or from the museum gets you into the building and exhibition(s).
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
Special Exhibitions
The schedule at the time of writing for special exhibitions:
- The Line (until March 8th, 2026): the line as a cornerstone of visual art, featuring works that illustrate the creativity possible with this fundamental element in the artist’s toolbox
- Ort (until April 12th, 2026): photos of the Heidi Horten Collection building taken through the subjective lens of renowned Viennese photographer Ouriel Morgensztern
Some tips:
This part of Vienna offers various other ways to experience humanity’s artistic creativity, too.
The gorgeous Albertina art museum is a near neighbour, as is the Staatsoper opera house. And a look down Goethegasse reveals a languid Goethe, frozen in bronze contemplation of his next literary masterpiece.
For something a little more down-to-earth, try the famous Bitzinger sausage stand outside the Hanuschgasse entranceway. Or grab a coffee at Café Mozart opposite. Mozart himself stands in the adjoining Burggarten park.
And for more contemporary art of the kind experienced in the Heidi Horten Collection, try these exhibition listings or these locations.
How to get there
The museum has two access points from the streets. One on Hanuschgasse and one on Goethegasse. These lead you into a quiet courtyard and (small) sculpture garden, with a very obvious museum entrance.
Subway: take the U1, U2 or U4 to Karlsplatz station and use an exit marked for the Oper (opera).
Tram: the lines 1, 2, D and 71 stop at Burgring (opposite Goethegasse) or you can also walk up from the Oper/Karlsplatz stop.
Address: Hanuschgasse 3, 1010 Vienna | Website