Wien Museum: Discover Vienna's City History and Urban Development

The institution that would become the Vienna Museum was established in 1887 as the Historical Museum of the City of Vienna. It was initially located in the Vienna Town Hall.

Plans for a city museum on Karlsplatz emerged early in the 20th century, with Otto Wagner proposing designs. Construction was postponed due to world wars, but a resolution in 1953 led to a design contest. Oswald Haerdtl was contracted to design the building, which was executed in a contemporary modern style.

The new museum building on Karlsplatz, designed by Oswald Haerdtl, opened on April 23, 1959. It was the first museum building constructed for the Second Republic in Austria and remained the only one for decades.

In 1985, the museum presented the acclaimed Jugendstil exhibition 'Dream and Reality' at the Vienna Künstlerhaus. With over 600,000 visitors, it was one of the most successful exhibitions ever held in Vienna.

In 2000, the museum's courtyard was roofed over. Further renovations in early 2006 included updating the foyer and creating new exhibition space from a former storage area.

In 2003, under the direction of Wolfgang Kos, the museums of the City of Vienna were united under the umbrella name 'Vienna Museum', and the Historical Museum was renamed accordingly.

A significant reconstruction and expansion of the main building took place between 2020 and 2023. This involved adding two floors, a pavilion, and a plaza, transforming the former atrium into a great hall.

The Vienna Museum reopened in December 2023 following a three-year reconstruction and extension of its main building on Karlsplatz.

The Hermesvilla, a former imperial residence, began hosting exhibitions as part of the Museums of the City of Vienna in 1971. It is dedicated to the history of the building and the imperial couple.

Two Jugendstil pavilions designed by Otto Wagner for the Vienna Stadtbahn in 1898 were saved from demolition in the 1960s, dismantled, restored, and reinstalled in 1977 on Karlsplatz. One now houses an exhibition on Otto Wagner.

The Kirche am Steinhof, designed by Otto Wagner and considered a significant Art Nouveau building, was added to the Vienna Museum's holdings on May 7, 2022. It was originally built for the Steinhof Psychiatric Hospital from 1904 to 1907.

The Prater Museum, dedicated to the history of Vienna's Prater park and amusement area, was founded in 1933 by Hans Pemmer and donated to the City of Vienna in 1964. In 2024, it was relocated to a new building in the Wurstelprater.

The Museum of the Romans, located at the Hoher Markt and displaying excavated ruins from the Roman camp Vindobona, was expanded and reopened in May 2008.

The Vienna Clock Museum, located in Palais Obizzi and one of Europe's important clock museums, was founded in 1917. It holds collections from its first director, Rudolf Kaftan, and poet Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach.

The Mozarthaus Vienna, the only surviving residence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the city, reopened in early 2006 after renovation. Mozart lived here from 1784 to 1787.

In 2009, for the 200th anniversary of Joseph Haydn's death, the permanent exhibition at Haydn House was recast and enlarged, focusing on his final years. Haydn lived in this house from 1793 until his death in 1809.

The Neidhart frescoes, dating from 1398 and considered the oldest surviving secular wall paintings in Vienna, were discovered in 1979 during renovations and have been publicly accessible since 1982.

The Vergilius Chapel, built around 1250, was rediscovered in 1973 during U-Bahn construction. It is now integrated into the Stephansplatz station and accessible from there.

Archaeological excavations in Michaelerplatz between 1989 and 1991 uncovered the settlement of Canabæ associated with the Roman camp Vindobona. The site was made permanently accessible to the public in 1991.