Bezirksmuseum Währing

About the museum

The museum's roots lie in a working group of Währing teachers who pursued local history studies after 1920 and from 1923 to 1925 published a three-volume local history book on the villages of Währing, Weinhaus, Gersthof, Pötzleinsdorf, Salmannsdorf and Neustift am Walde. The idea of a museum of its own emerged from it; however, a museum association founded in 1938 was dissolved by the Nazi authorities in the same year.

After the war, the mustard manufacturer Hans Sartory, grandson of a former mayor of Währing, took up the plan: in 1948 the association was re-founded, and on 4 May 1952 the museum opened in rooms of the district office. After Sartory's death in 1960 it remained closed for several years, until district councillors of various parties revived the association in 1965. Since then the quarterly journal “Unser Währing” has also been published; in 1970 the museum was reopened. Since 2026 Herbert Bichl has directed the volunteer-run museum.

The exhibition presents the formerly independent localities that formed the 18th district from 1892 and devotes separate panels to numerous personalities who lived here. Jewish life in the district until 1938 is treated in detail, along with buildings, transport, sport, the Cottage quarter and the parks. The most valuable piece is a wooden relief of the Danube School from around 1520 showing the Death of Mary among the Apostles, which was found in the ground on Gersthofer Straße in 1905 and has belonged to the museum since 1948.

Highlights

• Wooden relief “Dying Mary among the Apostles” of the Danube School around 1520
• Section on Jewish life in Währing until 1938
• Model of a freight-forwarding lorry of the company Norbert Rast from 1946
• Models of a horse-drawn cart and a wine press from a Pötzleinsdorf inn
• Puzzle rally with a small gift

Permanent exhibition

• Bezirksgeschichte Währing – The former villages of the 18th district, well-known residents, Jewish life until 1938 as well as buildings, transport, sport and the Cottage quarter.

Founded

1952

Director

Herbert Bichl

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission to all Vienna district museums.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• 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

Not accessible for wheelchair users: the museum rooms can only be reached from the hallway via steps.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

A puzzle rally through the museum (from age 9) is available during all opening hours; a small gift is given at the end.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit