What if you could see Vermeers, Modiglianis, and masterworks from history's greatest artists, all with one thing in common: they're brilliant frauds?

Welcome to Vienna's Museum of Art Fakes, where deception becomes the main attraction. This unique institution celebrates the audacious world of art forgery, showcasing works that once fooled experts, collectors, and entire museums.

Here, the forger is as famous as the forged, and every painting tells two stories: the artist they pretended to be, and the person who dared to fool the art world.

A Private Collection of Counterfeit Genius

The Fälschermuseum Wien opened as a private museum dedicated to a subject most institutions prefer to hide: their mistakes. Unlike traditional museums that bury their authentication errors, this museum proudly displays the works that slipped past experts.

The collection brings together pieces from the most notorious forgers of the 20th century, creating a unique archive of artistic crime. It stands as both a warning about the fallibility of expertise and a tribute to the skill required to deceive the art establishment.

Masters of Deception

The museum houses works by Han van Meegeren, who sold fake Vermeers to Nazi leader Hermann Göring during World War II. London restorer Tom Keating's pieces are here too, a man who claimed to have created over 2,000 forgeries across more than 100 different artists' styles.

You'll find works by Konrad Kujau, infamous for forging the Hitler Diaries, alongside pieces by David Stein, Edgar Mrugalla, Elmyr de Hory, Eric Hebborn, and Lothar Malskat. Each forger brought their own techniques and motivations to their craft.

Where Fakes Take Center Stage

This is the only museum where being fake is the point. Rather than authentication certificates, these works come with exposure stories detailing how they were created and eventually discovered.

The museum doesn't just display forgeries, it reveals the fascinating histories behind the most famous fakes in art history. You'll learn the techniques forgers used, the psychological games they played with experts, and the often dramatic circumstances of their unmasking. It's part art gallery, part detective story, part psychology lesson.

Museum of Art Fakes Highlights & Tips

• Han van Meegeren's 'Vermeers' See the fake Dutch Golden Age paintings that fooled Nazi Hermann Göring and launched one of history's most famous forgery trials.
• Tom Keating's Prolific Portfolio Works by the restorer who claimed to have forged over 2,000 pieces spanning more than 100 different artists' styles.
• The Hitler Diaries Connection Pieces by Konrad Kujau, the forger behind one of journalism's greatest hoaxes.
• Private Museum Experience As a private museum, check the website before visiting to confirm opening hours and any booking requirements.
• Central Vienna Location The museum is located in Vienna's city center, easily accessible and perfect to combine with other cultural attractions.
• Unique Perspective on Art This museum offers a different angle on art history. Come prepared to question what makes something 'authentic' and why we value originality.

The Museum of Art Fakes asks uncomfortable questions about authenticity, value, and expertise in the art world. When a Han van Meegeren 'Vermeer' hangs in a major museum for years, what does that say about how we judge art?

This small Vienna museum turns art history inside out, celebrating the skill of those who challenged the establishment, even as it reveals their deceptions. It's a reminder that sometimes the most interesting stories in art aren't about the masterpieces, but about the audacious fakes that almost became them.