Johann Strauss Sohn, the first pop star in world history, will be honored with a modern monument in Vienna on the occasion of his 200th birthday in 2025. A new permanent exhibition in the city center will bring his genius to life and expand Vienna's cultural and tourist offerings. More than just a retrospective: the exhibition will become an experience in which guests can experience, hear and feel Strauss' breathtaking life up close. Entertainment and information merge into a multimedia symphony.

The digital production shows the life and work of Johann Strauss in all its dimensions and captivates visitors with a unique motion-sensitive headphone system, which is being used in an exhibition for the first time in Austria. The exhibition impresses with its technical and artistic excellence and offers a multimedia symphony of entertainment and information spanning seven acts.

The first act takes us back to 1825, when Johann Strauss' father was a "devil's violinist" and shaped the Viennese dance scene. The second act sheds light on the revolution of 1848 and the tensions between the generations. After the death of his father, Johann Strauss' son begins his international career. The third act shows his successes in Russia and his romantic entanglements. The fourth act highlights Strauss' worldwide fame, especially with the waltz "On the Beautiful Blue Danube". The fifth act is dedicated to the middle of his career, when Strauss turns to operetta. The sixth act deals with his death in 1899 and the destruction of music archives by his brother Eduard. In the final act, Strauss is staged in an immersive space as a pop star of his time. Modern technology makes music and experiences appear in a new light.

A special highlight of the exhibition is the composing machine, which, inspired by the spirit of the waltz king Johann Strauss, transports visitors into the world of music and composing. Using rotary knobs that dance like the melodies, notes are selected and appear on a screen. Step by step, they create their own personal waltz.
open daily
www.johannstraussmuseum.at