The items in the Antiquities collection span a period of more than 3,000 years and range from Bronze Age ceramics from Cyprus dating from the third millennium B.C. to early mediaeval finds. The public collection contains around 2,500 unique objects. Treasures, antique cameos, architectural elements, mosaics, vases and masterpieces crafted from marble bring Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and the eventful history of a plethora of neighbouring cultures to life.
Insights into the exhibition
From a little gold earring to huge stone statues, the collection of antiquities offers a wealth of insights into different aspects of history.
Address
Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, Hochparterre
Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna
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Opening times
Tue - Sun, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Thu until 9 pm
Tickets
Adults €23
Reduced admission €19
Kids / Teens under 19 free
On average, visitors spend around 1.5 hours in the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities.
‘But there is nothing in Vienna deserving of mention...’
The Sarcophagus With Fighting Amazons, the bronze panel with the famous Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, and the Theseus mosaic invite visitors to take a closer look.
Three highlights turn the collection into one of the best of its kind, however – the cameos dating from Antiquity, including the renowned Gemma Augustea; the treasures from the Migration Period and the Early Middle Ages, such as the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós; and the vase collection containing masterpieces like the Brygos Skyphos.
The Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities is permanently located on the ground floor.
As part of the special presentation Vitrine EXTRA, various antique objects are presented temporarily in the permanent exhibition of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities of the Kunsthistorisches Museum at regular intervals.
The Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities showcases around 2,500 unique objects spanning 3,000 years, including treasure hoards, exquisite cameos, mosaics, and marble masterpieces that bring to life the history of ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and their neighboring cultures.
The birth of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities
The Collection began taking shape in 1798, when Franz de Paula Neumann was appointed sole director of the now amalgamated ‘Imperial and Royal Cabinet of Coins and Antiquities’. Neumann pursued his goal of a complete cabinet of antiquities. Ancient stone sculptures, busts, and bronzes were chosen from the Treasury and the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces, and housed together in the Augustinergang wing of the Hofburg Palace. It wasn’t until 1900 that the extant coin collection was separated from the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Some of the most important antiquities loaned from the modern-day Coin Cabinet are nonetheless still on display as part of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, such as a silver coin portraying the likeness of the legendary Cleopatra VII.
An eventful history
To take the strain off the Augustinergang wing of the Hofburg Palace, which was soon lacking in space, in 1823 a large number of Roman antiquities were displayed in the underground halls of the Theseus Temple in the Volksgarten, built by Peter Nobile. These spaces, which were also open to the public, nevertheless soon had to be closed again on account of the prevailing damp conditions. In 1845, all of the ancient sculptures and inscription stones were moved to the Lower Belvedere. 1880 saw the inclusion in the inventory of the antiquities of the Ambras Collection and these were followed, in 1923, by those of the Este-Catajo Collection. In 1940, the collection grew thanks to the addition of the antiquities from the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, as it was then known, with Greek vases and many other valuable pieces incorporated. In 1891, the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities was relocated from the Augustinergang wing of the Hofburg Palace and the Lower Belvedere to the newly opened Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Passionate collectors
By the 16th century, the Habsburgs at the Viennese court had begun to collect antiquities. Some magnificent objects were acquired extremely early on, such as the precious Gemma Augustea, bought by Rudolf II (r. 1576–1612); the Sarcophagus With Fighting Amazons, which was purchased in the 17th century; and the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus, obtained by Charles VI (r. 1711–1740).
The many archaelogical finds of the 18th and early 19th centuries revived interest in ancient Greece and Rome and triggered unparalleled enthusiasm for collecting. Objects from all parts of the empire found their way to the imperial collection in Vienna. Purchases from private collections, usually for considerable amounts, were also crucial for the growth of the collection, ensuring it was richly furnished with ancient vases, sculptures and bronzes. In the period that followed, the available funds were far less; consequently, systematic expansion of the collection had to be abandoned.
Let there be light!
Urgent construction and general renovation work, in particular the electrification of all exhibition rooms and the reorganisation of the pieces, made it necessary to close the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities for a longer period in the 1990s. It was this work that enabled access to the collection in the evenings, too, thanks to artificial lighting. The extensive modernisation of the lighting, climate, and security technology used in many original display cases made it possible to retain the charm of the collection in its early days. Since its reopening in 2005, the curators have not only succeeded in shining a new light on the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities; they have also expanded it across nine rooms and seven cabinets. The number of objects on display has increased by more than a third compared to the previous set-up and now numbers around 2,500 items.
Our exhibitions take you back to the rich history of our museum. Here, proven masterpieces meet newly explored themes - a look at art, culture and the past that continuously illuminates the collection.
