The Portrait Gallery contains over 200 likenesses, including paintings by Lukas Cranach, Titian, Anton van Dyck and Diego Velázquez. Most of the Habsburgs and numerous other rulers are represented by portraits—including Emperor Maximilian I, Emperor Charles V, King Phillip II of Spain, the young Maria Theresia and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Of special interest are the numerous portraits of children, such as the picture of the three-year-old Eleonora Gonzaga which is attributed to Rubens.

No family influenced the history of Europe over the centuries to the extent that the Habsburgs did. From the 15th to the early 20th century, they provided numerous Emperors and Kings and were related either by blood or by marriage to nearly every important European dynasty. The portrait gallery offers not only a walk through the history of a European ruling house, but also affords the viewer a unique overview of courtly portraiture from the late Gothic era to Classicism.

The Portrait Gallery is located in the Upper Castle, where the living quarters were during the time of Ferdinand II.

Archduke Ferdinand II was the first to combine his Chambers of Armour as a single collection, according to a clear concept. It was his intent to emphasise the historic role of the Habsburgs and commemorate the outstanding deeds of famous individuals. Like nobody before him, he systematically purchased armour, weapons and portraits of famous military commanders. For the first time ever in the history of collecting, he also took into account aesthetic criteria such as light and colours when deciding how to present them. Sensationally novel was also his illustrated inventory—the first-ever museum catalogue.

The present-day arrangement, though not identical with the original presentation, attempts to make visible the objectives that Archduke Ferdinand had set. The highlights include rare suits of tournament armour, ornamental armour for courtly ceremonies, the armour of famous military commanders and, last but not least, that of Ferdinand II. There is also a Turk Chamber, which documents the fear of the Turks and the enthusiasm for the Orient that both existed during the 16th century.

The Chambers of Art and Curiosities of the Renaissance are encyclopaedic, universal collections that encompass the entire body of knowledge available during their era. The collection, therefore, contains not only outstanding artworks such as the Figurine of Death, but also scientific objects such as the Centrepiece with Compass, objects from far-off lands such as the “Ryukyu Bowl,” rare products of nature, portraits of people thought to be "miracles" such as the Hirsute Man, and last but not least fascinating games and unusual musical instruments.

The collection at Ambras is the only chamber of art from the Mannerist era to have been preserved at its original location, and is thus of inestimable value. The present-day display follows the intentions of Archduke Ferdinand insofar as it has been possible to do so. Ferdinand presented his collection in 18 ceiling-high cabinets Objects made of the same material—such as ivory, wood or coral—were united in the same case, irregardless of their origins or theme. The cases themselves were painted on their insides, with the respective colours forming an aesthetically pleasing unity with the displayed materials: this gave rise to combinations including gold on blue, wood on red, stone on green, etc.

The Spanish Hall is amongst the most beautiful halls built during the Renaissance. It was constructed according to the requirements of Archduke Ferdinand II between 1529 and 1572, and it was meant to be a hall for balls and other festive occasions. The decoration of the 43 m long hall is dominated by 27 full-figure portraits of Tirolean rulers, from Count Albrecht I of Tirol to Archduke Ferdinand II. They stand before a landscape background, making the room—in concert with the opposite window—seem like it were open to both sides. The frieze-zone of the northern and eastern walls contains stucco-framed bull’s eyes with painted rims, whose inside surfaces show blue sky and clouds painted in an illusionistic manner. Here, as well, the idea is to provide an architectural counterpoint to the bull’s-eye windows of the southern and western walls.

A key factor in the festive overall impression of the hall is the doors, which are combinations of various woods, and the partly gilded and likewise inlayed coffered wooden ceiling.

Today, the hall plays host to events including concerts of the Innsbruck Early Music Festival.

This altar was created at the behest of Emperor Maximilian I, who liked to identify himself with St. George since this saint was considered to embody the quintessence of Christian chivalry. Maximilian’s father, Emperor Friedrich III, had founded the Order of St. George, and Maximilian himself established a Brotherhood and a Society of St. George. Their mutual goal was to combat the growing Ottoman threat. Therefore, this alter can be viewed as part of the overall crusade idea promoted by Emperor Maximilian.

In 1777, the altar was transferred from St. George’s Chapel, located on the southern edge of the Castle Park, to the castle itself, and it has been kept there ever since. Research has not yet revealed exactly when and how it ended up in the chapel.

One indication for the altar’s Tirolean provenance and dating has come from the chemical analysis of the paints used. The violet-shaded boulder landscape contains the rare pigment fluorite, which use has been confirmed only on Tirolean objects created ca. 1500.

Der Bergfried stammt der aus der ältesten Bauphase von Schloss Ambras (13. Jahrhundert). Er diente als Verteidigungsturm, der sich an strategisch wichtiger Stelle, der frei zugänglichen Süd-West-Seite der mittelalterlichen Burg befand und bei Belagerungen ein sicherer Zufluchtsort der Burgbewohner war. Noch heute ist im Inneren die Mauerstärke von 2,60 m erkennbar.

Nach der Integrierung des ursprünglich selbständigen Bauteils in den Neubau des 16. Jahrhunderts unter Erzherzog Ferdinand II. (1529-1595) verlor der Bergfried seine wehrhafte Funktion. Das Erdgeschoss erhielt ein Kreuzgratgewölbe und wurde, wie im Inventar von 1596 erwähnt, als claidergwelb (Kleiderdepot) verwendet. In derselben Zeit legte man auch einen unterirdischen Verbindungsgang zum Vorschloss, in dem die Küche untergebracht war, an.

Im 19. Jahrhundert wurde das ursprüngliche Bodenniveau durch Einlagerung von Bauschutt um einen Meter erhöht. 1994 wurden rund 250 Tonnen ausgehoben und Adaptierungsarbeiten durchgeführt, um einen neuen Ausstellungsraum zu gewinnen.

Seit 1996 wird hier der Georgsaltar Kaiser Maximilians I. und eine Sammlung spätmittelalterlicher Skulpturen präsentiert.