Mariazeller Heimathaus

About the museum

The building on Wiener Straße was built in the early 17th century as the "Lower Hospital", a citizens' hospital in which the poor and sick were cared for. A small farm secured the residents' provisions. Pilgrimage processions were also assembled here, setting out from Wiener Straße to the Miraculous Image in the basilica.

After a more modern old people's home was built and the almshouse was abandoned, the almost unchanged building offered itself as a local history museum in 1967. A working group of dedicated Mariazell residents set up the exhibition rooms; the idea had been revived by a folklore exhibition in the jubilee year of 1957 and by the memory of the district museum of the 1930s.

Today the collections are spread over several floors. They show the history of the pilgrimage, customs and crafts, alpine pasture and timber farming, products of the former ironworks near Mariazell, the Mariazellerbahn railway, winter sports, and historic photographic equipment and pictures by the Kuss family of photographers. There is also a hunting museum and a newly furnished natural history museum, created with the help of LEADER funding. The museum holds the Austrian Museum Seal of Quality.

Highlights

• Regional history of Mariazell over around 860 years on several floors
• History of the pilgrimage and customs
• Hunting museum with exhibition rooms on farmers', burghers' and noble hunting
• Natural history museum with fauna, flora, cave finds and hands-on stations
• Photo collection of the Kuss family of photographers from Mariazell

Permanent exhibitions

• Heimatkunde – A tour through the history of Mariazell: pilgrimage, customs, ironworking, rural life, the Mariazellerbahn railway, winter sports, crafts and women's everyday life.
• Naturkundemuseum – Local flora and fauna, geology and cave finds, prehistoric and early historic objects, and hands-on stations on forest, wood and scents.
• Jagdmuseum – Farmers', burghers' and noble hunting in the Mariazellerland across several exhibition rooms – from local wildlife to hunting professions and hunting grounds.

Founded

1967

Admission & discounts

The price list also mentions a guest rate of €8 (without further explanation).

Accessibility

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Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Children's events take place during the summer holidays; the natural history museum has interactive stations such as a bird quiz and scent stations of the forest.

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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