Albertina Museum, art museum in Vienna, known primarily for its compilation of graphic arts. The collection is housed in the Hofburg, or Imperial Palace, and the Künstlerhaus; the latter location is known as Albertina Modern.
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The Albertina Museum was important for its comprehensive collection of prints, drawings, sketchbooks, and miniatures assembled in the 18th century by Albert Kasimir, duke of Saxe-Teschen, and cataloged by Adam von Bartsch. The collection was administered and enlarged by Albert’s successors until 1920, when it was taken over by the government of Austria. It largely centred on European drawings and prints from the 15th to the 20th century. In the 21st century the museum began to acquire modern and contemporary art in a range of media and opened Albertina Modern in 2020 to accommodate its growing collection. The second museum is housed in the Künstlerhaus, the home of the Austrian Artists’ Society, with whom it shares the renovated building. Notable works from both locations include drawings by Gustav Klimt, watercolours by Albrecht Dürer, ceramics by Pablo Picasso, and paintings by Austrian artist Maria Lassnig. The Albertina Museum also exhibits a number of restored Habsburg State Rooms.
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