I'm wondering if anyone has been to the Albertinium and/or Belevedere in Vienna of late. It seems like the 19th century part of the Belevedere is closed, or at least the impressionist parts. I'm wondering if this is true or for how long these pieces will not be on display. Is there a major renovation going on or something?

About the Albertinium, do they have a permanent collection, or is it all just temporary exhibitions. I realize they have so many pieces that they can't show them all at once, but I'm wondering how or if it is possible to see some of the impressionistic drawings.

Been last summerto Vienna and visited both places. They are magnificent, definitely worth the time.

I looked on the Belvedere website and they don't mention anything about having any section closed.

Here, check it out

http://www.belvedere.at/information_...=allgemein.php

Museum Albertina is excellent. It has its temporary exhibitions, but also a very good permanent collection.

Here's what it says on their website:

The Albertina, whose foundation and name go back to the passionate art lover and collector Duke Albert of Saxony-Teschen (1738-1822), accommodates one of the largest and most precious graphic art collections in the world. ...

The range of outstanding works spans from Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael through Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens to Lorrain, Delacroix, Manet and Cézanne. The collections of the 20th Century including the works of Schiele, Klimt and Kokoschka as well as Warhol, Rauschenberg and Baselitz distinguish the Albertina.

Their website is here

http://www.albertina.at/cms/front_content.php?idcat=3

Albertina is part of the huge Hofburg Palace complex. You may want to visit the other museums there as well. How about the Kunsthistorische Museum (Art History - excellent collections)?

Because of their fragility, any collection composed of works on paper only has temporary exhibitions, and that includes the Albertina.

When I was there - admittedly many, many years ago - the temporary exhibition was composed of Renaissance and Baroque works.

You can see the list of current and future exhibitions at the Albertina at

http://www.albertina.at/cms/front_co...p;idcatart=158

And the list of exhhibitions at the Belvedere is here:

http://www.belvedere.at/ausstellunge...=aktuelles.php

I may be losing my memory, but I do not recall that either the Belvedere or the Albertina was very strong on Impressionist works.

Not much to add to above posters.

A visit to the Albertina - often less crowded on Wednesday evening- open until 9 PM. Not too many are aware of this evening schedule.

Belvedere has an excelent collection of Biedermeier and Impressionists from 19th century.

Joe- I was at the Belvedere last month, (a definite must-see for Vienna, IMO) and the Lower Belvedere housing the Baroque collection, has some closed parts to it, (I believe it was their Middle Ages section). But the Upper Belvedere, containing the Impressionist collection, and many of the native-born Gustav Klimt masterpieces, including Klimt's world-famous "The Kiss" is not.

Beautiful Versailles-style gardens, involving a bit of a walk, separate the Upper from the Lower part. You should go to both, even though a lot of the Lower B. is under restoration. Both parts well worth it, and very close-in tram ride to get there.

Thanks for the tips. My concern about the Belvedere was this bit:

Historicism, Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism
This section of the collection shows several major works by the most important representative of Historicism in Austria, Hans Makart. Together with pictures of Austrian "Atmospheric Impressionism", there is also an impressive selection of international art with works by Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, etc. >>> more

This part of the collection is currently not on show.

So maybe it's temporarily not on show and will be available later this year (hopefully if/when I'm there in Dec).

It seems like the Albertinum has a great collection, but I'd be at the whim of seeing whatever is on the exhibitions (am I right?), which in December seems like Picassos and Warhols. Not that those are bad by any means, but I would love to see the Manets and Cezannes, but I guess I can't do so unless they are part of a temporary exhibition. Right?

Thanks, and sorry for my denseness.

Joe,

Are you sure you read the posts here?

Did you check the websites some of us posted here?

Albertina does have a permanent collection and you will not be at the whim of whatever they put on exhibition.

Bettercheck their website and you may want to contact them directly.

When I was tehre last year, besides the permanent collection they had an exhibition as well, BUT the permanent collection was there.

You may want to check the Art Museum (Kunsthistorische Museum) - excellent collection as well.

Thanks; yes I did read the posts here, but I was a bit confused between what you and Eloise said. I think I also read somewhere else (I think in the comments section for the Albertinium in the Fodors Vienna guide) that someone was disappointed b/c the Albeertinium only had a temporary exhibitions, but maybe that person was mistaken.

I am aware of and excited about the Kunsthistorische Museum; thanks for that recommendation.

Sorry, I think I may have contributed to the confusion.

At the Albertina, in my experience, the public is only admitted to temporary exhibitions, for the reason I stated.

The Belvedere's collection is not of works on paper, and its permanent collection is generally on view.

Joe-once again, I was just there last month, and I saw some beautiful Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, etc. in addition to the wonderful Klimt collection in the Upper Belvedere.

Thanks spygirl. Maybe that note on the website is out of date, or maybe they just put it there ... i.e. they just started renovations there. I've e-mailed to ask, in any event.

Joe-I belive there may be renovations going on in both Palaces, so emailing is a good idea-but I would hardly think they would shut that entire section down, as that is what people primarily pay to see when they go to the Belvedere.

At any rate, the collection that was on display last month was very nice indeed, not too many to overwhelm or fatigue, in a stunning location. You might particularly find the landscape paintings of Gustav Klimt interesting-I didn't know he painted landscapes until I went to the Belvedere and saw this collection for the first time. I came away with a whole different (and much more enthusiastic) perspective on Klimt than before.

Joe, note that it's the "Albertina". When we were there last January, I was told that because of fragility of the drawings, what is on display is often facsimilies rather than the originals.

We went to Albertinium in May 06 and told none of their collection is on display as they are too fragile. they only have temporary exhibits.