Haus der Musik

About the museum

The Haus der Musik is located in the former Palais Erzherzog Carl on Seilerstätte. From 1841 to 1847 the composer and conductor Otto Nicolai lived in the building, where he founded the Vienna Philharmonic in 1842. In 2000 an interactive museum about music and sound opened in the palace; since 2005 it has been operated by Wien Holding.

The exhibition is spread over four floors. On the first floor, the Museum of the Vienna Philharmonic shows treasures from the orchestra’s archive, including the first concert poster from 1842 and a baton belonging to Herbert von Karajan. The second floor, “Sonotopia”, is a science centre on sound, hearing and sound production with oversized instruments to try out. The third floor deals with the lives and works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss the Younger, Mahler and composers of the Second Viennese School; on the fourth floor, visitors can lead an orchestra as virtual conductors.

In addition to the exhibition, the house organises children’s concerts and the “Live On Stage” series and rents out event spaces. According to its own figures, more than 270,000 people now visit the house each year.

Highlights

• Virtual conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic
• Sound science centre “Sonotopia” with a giant drum
• Museum of the Vienna Philharmonic
• Dice waltz and name game after Mozart
• “Stairplay” sound staircase

Permanent exhibitions

• Sonotopia – Die Welt der Klänge – Science centre on the second floor about sound, hearing and sound production with a sound lab, giant instruments and a lab where you create your own sound creatures.
• Komponisten der Wiener Klassik und späterer Epochen – Rooms on Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss the Younger, Mahler and the Second Viennese School, complemented by Mozart’s dice and name game.
• Museum der Wiener Philharmoniker – Archive treasures of the orchestra on the first floor, where Otto Nicolai founded the Philharmonic, plus excerpts from the New Year’s and Summer Night concerts in the cinema hall.

Founded

2000

Operated by

Haus der Musik Museum GmbH (Wien Holding)

Director

Simon Posch

Admission & discounts

Prices as of 1 January 2026. Online in advance via Wien-Ticket only full price and selected concessions; family and group tickets only at the museum ticket office. Concert tickets do not count as a museum ticket.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

All areas are accessible without barriers by lift; the accessible toilet on the ground floor is unlocked by staff on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Ideal for children from about age 5 so they can operate all stations; children under 12 only with adult supervision. Hands-on stations such as the giant drum and sound staircase, children’s tour in the smartphone guide, puzzles and worksheets, and children’s concerts (separate ticket). Pushchairs may be brought in; changing tables on the ground floor, basement, and on the 1st and 4th floors.

Getting there & parking

Entrances on Seilerstätte, in Annagasse and in Krugerstraße.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Vending-machine café “Café Nicolai” in the glass-roofed inner courtyard; museum shop on the 4th floor. Cloakroom at the ticket office and lockers are free of charge; backpacks, jackets and larger luggage must be deposited.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Attic with a view over Vienna, air-conditioned event hall with stage and technical equipment, and the glass-roofed inner courtyard; museum visit included in the event package. Contact: events@hdm.at.

Plan your visit