Our programme for secondary level II Upper school, Technical school and Vocational school

Travelling back in time together: Do you want to discover pyramids in Ancient Egypt or meet ancient heroes? Want to discover the secrets of Renaissance and Baroque painters or marvel at precious objects made of gold, coconut, or ivory? Our art educators will introduce you to one of the museum's collections! In the Hofburg and Wagenburg, they reveal interesting facts about knightly fashion made of steel, specific musical instruments, imperial crowns, or vehicles in which the Habsburg family travelled by coach. 

The exciting stories found in Ovid and other ancient authors are still well-known today. They deal with fateful encounters between irascible gods, courageous heroes, and dangerous hybrid creatures, in which Cupid, the god of love, usually has a hand! We will whisk you away into dramatic visual worlds full of deceit, transformation, and heartache.

Have you ever wanted to slip into a different body? Fat or thin, tall or short, young or old – the human body has always been an important subject of art. The entire spectrum between desire and reality is reflected in the works of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. We will take a look at beauty ideals of the past and critically analyse the role models associated with them.

Was everything different in the past? Join us in discovering exciting social phenomena that are still relevant today: Together we will follow the (often not so) simple life of a peasant family, meet a queen who was a true fashion victim, or learn about real ‘men's work’. We will also consider why the Habsburg family collected certain works of art and what these choices convey.

Antiquity, Baroque, Middle Ages, and Renaissance – do you also get confused from time to time with all the names of and terms for the different art periods? In the Picture Gallery, we will work together to bring order to the jumble of terms: Find out more about the Renaissance, Baroque, and the period in between and learn which features were typical of different times and places.  

Paintings do not usually depict real events, but are products of the painter's imagination. But what makes a picture exciting? Which moment of a story is portrayed? How are figures and objects arranged on the surface? Together we will look for answers to these and similar questions by taking a close look at the composition of some famous paintings.

Although the Holy Roman Empire lasted for over 900 years, it was not characterised by permanence: Its eventful history was marked by numerous ruling families, prince-electors, and wars. The impressive symbols of imperial power can be found today in the Imperial Treasury Vienna. Here you can find out how the Holy Roman Empire shaped Europe, and how a general from France brought it to its knees.

You probably know Maria Theresa and Empress Elisabeth aka Sisi! But did you know that Maria Theresa was also a tournament rider and not Queen, but King of Hungary? Or that Sisi practised a veritable cult of beauty in order to have a particularly narrow wasp waist? Dresses made of precious fabrics, as well as coronation and funeral carriages tell the story of the two women's journey through a world dominated by men. We will consider which roles were and are ascribed to women. We will also learn how to communicate with fans and climb aboard a real historical carriage.