Haus der Geschichte Österreich
The federal government's first contemporary history museum in the Neue Burg: Austria's history since 1918, with the Ephesos Museum included in the ticket.
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About the museum
From 2000 onwards, a museum for the history of the Republic featured in every government programme, but locations such as the Arsenal or the Künstlerhaus fell through. In 2014 the decision was made in favour of the Neue Burg on Heldenplatz, and in 2016 the Federal Museums Act was amended accordingly. The house was set up as a professionally independent museum under the umbrella of the Austrian National Library; its founding director is the historian Monika Sommer.
On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic, the Haus der Geschichte Österreich opened on 10 November 2018 in rooms of the Neue Burg, right next to the Altan, the balcony known as the "Hitler balcony", a symbol of the long-repressed Nazi past. In 2020 it received the European Kenneth Hudson Award. A move to the MuseumsQuartier is planned for the future.
The main exhibition "New Times: Austria since 1918" leads in nine sections from the proclamation of the Republic through crises, dictatorship and Nazi terror to the economic miracle, border questions, equality and the politics of images in the present day. History is deliberately examined from today's point of view: objects, documents shown for the first time, artistic positions and media stations invite discussion. It is complemented by special exhibitions on the Alma Rosé Plateau.
The same building houses the Ephesos Museum of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which opened in 1978. It displays sculptures and architectural fragments from the Austrian excavations at Ephesus, Samothrace and Trysa, including the Parthian Monument; a visit is included in the hdgö ticket.
Highlights
- Main exhibition "New Times: Austria since 1918"
- View of the Altan of the Neue Burg and its history
- Interactive media stations and three audio theme trails
- Ephesos Museum with the Parthian Monument on the same ticket
- Free admission every Thursday from 6 p.m.
Permanent exhibitions
- Neue Zeiten: Österreich seit 1918 – The main exhibition tells Austria's history from the founding of the Republic to the present in nine thematic sections and invites visitors to join the discussion through objects and media stations.
- Ephesos Museum – Ancient sculptures and building elements from Ephesus, Samothrace and Trysa from the KHM's Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities, including the Parthian Monument, included in the hdgö ticket.
- Founded
- 2018
- Operated by
- Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Bundesmuseum)
- Director
- Monika Sommer
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7.50Students under 27, those doing military or civilian service, holders of a disability pass, members of friends' associations of the partner institutions |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Children and young people under 19 free. |
| Seniors | €8 |
| Visitors with disabilities | €7.50companion free · Companions entered in the disability pass free. |
| Students & apprentices | €7.50Students under 27 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €7.50 per personAdults in groups of 10 or more; registration required. |
| Families | €162 adults with at least one child under 19 |
| hdgö annual pass | €19 |
| Universal weekly ticket of the Austrian National Library | €21Valid for 7 days, one admission each to the Prunksaal, Literature Museum, Globe Museum, Papyrus Museum, Esperanto Museum and hdgö |
| Audio guide Ephesos Museum | €2 |
| Guided tour (plus admission) | €4.50Children, young people under 19 and students under 27: €3.50 |
Free admission: Every Thursday from 6 p.m.; also on National Day (26 October) and Human Rights Day (10 December).
Reduced tickets only at the museum ticket desk. Special exhibitions and the Ephesos Museum are included in the ticket. Further discounts include with the Vienna City Card, ÖAMTC and the Vorteilsclub of the City of Vienna. Free admission includes with the Kulturpass ("Hunger auf Kunst & Kultur"), the Bundesmuseen-Card, the annual pass of the KHM or the ÖNB museums, ICOM and the Museumsbund Österreich; with the Niederösterreich-CARD and the Vienna Pass, free once.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description: no information
Enter the Neue Burg via the left ramp, platform lift to the entrance hall (Eurokey or intercom), lift to the ticket desk, main exhibition and special exhibitions. The main exhibition is wheelchair-accessible throughout; loan wheelchair on advance request, folding chairs, reading magnifiers, portable induction loops and ear protection. Tours in plain language as well as audio and tactile tours on request. No tactile guidance system; disabled parking spaces in the short-stay parking zone on Heldenplatz.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 18 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €16 · 2 adults with at least one child under 19 |
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
"Museum for Young and Old" on the third Sunday of every month during the school year at 2 p.m. for adults with children aged 6 and over (approx. 1.5 hours, registration required). Strollers are allowed in the exhibition, a changing table is available in the accessible toilet on the mezzanine; breastfeeding is possible in the education room.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Burgring · 3-min walk
Tram 1, 2, D and 71 and bus 57A to Burgring (approx. 3–5 minutes on foot); U2/U3 to Volkstheater, exit Dr.-Karl-Renner-Ring (approx. 5–7 minutes).
By car
Parking spaces for people with reduced mobility in the short-stay parking zone on Heldenplatz in front of the Prince Eugene Monument; the museum recommends arriving by public transport.
- Accessible parking
Bicycle racks to the right of the main entrance of the Neue Burg, behind the ramp.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Museum shop: not available
- Coat check
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
Lounge ("Museumscafé") with drinks and snack vending machines; food brought from outside is permitted. No museum shop; publications are available at the ticket desk. Lockers with a €1 or €2 coin deposit; no space for travel luggage.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 30 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, CS, HU, SK, SL, ROM, HR) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Three free audio theme trails (45–60 minutes) on your own smartphone or a loan device, all in German and English, "Democracy as a Process" additionally in other languages. Short tours of 30 minutes each; up to six places per tour can be reserved in the calendar. Private tours in English, French, Spanish, Slovenian and Romanian, among others. Exhibition texts in German and English. Those who want to see everything can plan for half a day. |
