Honored with the Muvamo Award for its unique combination of coffee, architecture, and art – a café experience set beneath one of Vienna’s most breathtaking museum domes.
Kunsthistorisches Museum Café-Restaurant: Elegance with a Historic View
The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) opened in 1891 and was built to house the impressive art collections of the Habsburg family, one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties. The building itself was designed to be just as grand as the art it would display, with a large central dome, marble staircases, and richly decorated walls and ceilings.
The Café-Restaurant is located in the Cupola Hall. It wasn’t always a café – that came later. In 1988, the museum began offering food and drink here so visitors could take a break without leaving the building. Instead of creating a separate space, they decided to make use of the Dome Hall itself, keeping its historical features fully intact.
The café is now one of the most impressive museum cafés in Europe. You’re sitting in a space that was carefully designed to reflect the power and taste of the Habsburgs, surrounded by marble columns and the surrounding staircase frescoes feature allegorical figures representing the arts. These details weren’t added just for decoration – they reflect what the museum is all about: preserving and sharing knowledge, culture, and creativity.
It’s a relaxed place to enjoy classic Viennese food and coffee, but with a setting that still feels special. Over time, it has become a natural part of the museum experience, offering a stylish and comfortable pause in the middle of an art-filled day.
