A jubilee between world heritage, new perspectives and cultural responsibility
Founded in 1776, the ALBERTINA is home to one of the world’s most important graphic art collections. In 2026, the Vienna-based museum celebrates its 250th anniversary – not as a retrospective exercise, but as a forward-looking cultural statement. Under the guiding theme “A Grand Past – A Grand Future”, the anniversary programme reinterprets its legacy and actively shapes what lies ahead.
Great art is timeless – and that is precisely what makes it future-proof.
The collection as a source of energy
At the heart of the jubilee year is the collection itself: a world-class cultural treasure understood not as a static archive, but as a living foundation for innovation. Director General Ralph Gleis positions the ALBERTINA as an open, evolving institution – one that invites dialogue, embraces new narratives and engages future generations.
Three exhibitions – three shifts in perspective
The anniversary is marked by three major exhibitions offering fresh views on the collection:
- The Fascination of Paper presents an exploratory journey through the medium of paper, encouraging visitors to experience drawing in unexpected ways.
- Collecting for the Future focuses on Archduchess Marie Christine, whose role in building the collection has long been overlooked. Masterpieces from Dürer to Schiele reveal the origins of the ALBERTINA from a new angle.
- Women Artists of the ALBERTINA brings together female artistic positions across centuries, making visible what has often remained hidden within one of the world’s largest collections.
From modern masters to contemporary voices
The anniversary programme bridges eras and genres: from Honoré Daumier’s political caricatures to landmark exhibitions dedicated to Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon, and contemporary dialogues at the intersection of art and pop culture. Solo exhibitions, retrospectives and homages underline the ALBERTINA’s commitment to both international relevance and local artistic heritage.
Open to everyone
Art is a shared experience. In 2026, the ALBERTINA invites visitors of all ages to participate: free admission days, family programmes, interactive exhibitions, children’s openings and innovative mediation formats. The anniversary will also resonate internationally, with events hosted in major cultural capitals worldwide.
250 years of the ALBERTINA stand for continuity through change – a museum deeply rooted in history, boldly oriented toward the future.
