Haydn-Geburtshaus

About the museum

The reed-thatched farmhouse in Rohrau was built around 1728 by the master wheelwright Mathias Haydn. Joseph Haydn was born here in 1732 and his younger brother Michael in 1737, two of the family's twelve children, whose mother worked as a cook in the nearby castle of the Counts of Harrach. Joseph left his parents' home at the age of six for his musical training in Hainburg and Vienna, but remained attached to the village throughout his life; Michael later became concertmaster at the Salzburg court.

After the parents' death, the house passed into other hands in 1763. In the 19th century it became a place of pilgrimage for music lovers, and memorial plaques commemorated the famous sons. A fire destroyed large parts of the building in 1899, but the living room survived, and by 1909 the house had been restored.

In 1958 the province of Lower Austria bought the property and opened it as a museum in 1959 on the 150th anniversary of Joseph Haydn's death. For the composer's 250th birthday, the permanent display was redesigned in 1982; in 2003 the original fortepiano on which Haydn is said to have played was restored.

From autumn 2016 to September 2017 the house was renovated and reopened with a newly designed permanent exhibition. It is devoted to the brothers' childhood, their careers, and the history of the house and the region. A new concert hall and the courtyard with its arcade now serve as a setting for concerts and cultural events.

Highlights

• Originally preserved reed-thatched farmhouse from around 1728
• Permanent exhibition on Joseph and Michael Haydn
• Fortepiano on which Joseph Haydn is said to have played
• Courtyard with arcade and concert hall for events

Permanent exhibition

• Joseph und Michael Haydn – The exhibition, redesigned in 2017, leads through the childhood of the two composer brothers in Rohrau, their careers and the history of the birthplace.

Founded

1959

Operated by

Land Niederösterreich (in Kooperation mit Römerland Carnuntum)

Director

Michael Linsbauer

Admission & discounts

Free admission once with the Niederösterreich-CARD. NÖ Familienland: 20% discount; BURGENLAND-CARD: 15%; BURGENLAND Family CARD: 10%.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

For school groups there is the children's tour "Peppi und die Steckerlgeige", recommended for children aged 6 to 10 (prior booking required).

Getting there & parking

By car from Vienna take the A4 (Ostautobahn) to the Bruck an der Leitha/Ost exit, turn left at the traffic light and follow the signs to Rohrau on the B211 (about 8 km).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop available; toilet facilities.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit