Bestattungsmuseum am Wiener Zentralfriedhof

About the museum

The Funeral Museum goes back to the collection of the municipal funeral service Bestattung Wien and was founded in 1967. It is devoted to the much-cited special relationship of Viennese people with death, from the lavish "schöne Leich" ("beautiful funeral") to the simple memorial service of today.

Since 2014 the museum has been at the Vienna Central Cemetery, in the basement of Mortuary Hall 2 near the main entrance (Gate 2). The hall was built to plans by Max Hegele and first used in 1907, originally as a mortuary for those who had died of infectious diseases. After alterations in the 1930s and severe war damage, Erich Boltenstern redesigned it in the 1960s as a large marble-clad hall, where memorial services for prominent figures are mostly held to this day. The basement had previously served as a storage depot and received its own entrance for the museum.

The modern, multimedia exhibition shows more than 250 original objects and pictorial material from the archives of Bestattung Wien, much of it on public display for the first time. These include a hearse from around 1900, undertakers' uniforms from the Spanish court ceremonial to the present day, a collapsible coffin from the time of Joseph II, and objects from the era of fear of apparent death. Video stations show, among other things, historic film footage of major funerals, and an audio station plays the most popular songs at funerals today.

Highlights

• Collapsible coffin from the time of Joseph II (1784)
• Fourgon, a hearse from around 1900
• Heart-piercing knife and rescue alarm against the fear of apparent death
• Undertakers' uniforms from the Spanish court ceremonial to today
• Historic film footage of the funeral of Emperor Franz Joseph I

Permanent exhibition

• Wiener Bestattungskultur – Over 250 original objects, film footage and media stations tell of the Viennese way of dealing with death, from lavish funerals to today's memorial services.

Founded

1967

Operated by

Bestattung Wien GmbH (Wiener Stadtwerke)

Admission & discounts

Partnerships with the Vienna City Card, the Vorteilsclub der Stadt Wien and the Niederösterreich-CARD. School classes with a tour: ages 6 to 14 €6, ages 14 to 19 €12 per person.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is in the basement; access is via an entrance door with stairs and a ramp leading down.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Access via Gate 2 (main entrance) of the Zentralfriedhof; the museum is about 100 m past the main entrance on the right, in the basement of Mortuary Hall 2.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Online shop with souvenirs and tickets.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit