With its unique collection of top-class works of art as well as historical and contemporary exhibits, the Wien Museum offers essential insights into the city's history in its main building on Karlsplatz. The Stadtmuseum was opened in 1959 based on a design by Oswald Haerdtl. Between 2020 and 2023, the building was renovated and expanded according to the design of architects Ferdinand Certov, Klaudia Ruck and Roland Winkler and opened on December 6, 2023 by Mayor Michael Ludwig and City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler with a new permanent exhibition (scenography: chezweitz Berlin, design: Koerdtutech, Robert Rüf, graphics: Larissa Cerny, Martin Embacher) will be reopened.
Vienna. My story, exhibition view © Lisa Rastl
Vienna's history retold from prehistoric times to the present day: On 3,300 m2, over three floors and with the help of 1,700 objects, the new permanent exhibition "Vienna. My History" takes visitors on a journey through the centuries. The focus is on people and their lives in the field of tension between politics and religion, social structures and the environment around them. Topics such as work, housing, transport, immigration and ecology determine everyday life then and now.
Vienna. My story, exhibition view © Lisa Rastl
The history of the city can be experienced as a chronological tour, with the large hall as the centerpiece. Here, visitors encounter iconic large-scale objects from the collection, such as the original figures of the Donnerbrunnen, a five-and-a-half-meter-high model of St. Stephen's Cathedral and Poldi the whale from the Prater. Interactive formats and tactile objects appeal to different senses, while over 100 media stations and a digital guide offer in-depth content. Programs for young and old with a focus on inclusion are offered regularly or can be booked as a group.
Admission to the Wien Museum's permanent exhibition is free of charge and invites you to make new discoveries.
