Museum Innviertler Volkskundehaus

About the museum

It all began with the Rieder Musealverein, founded by citizens when the famous Kögl nativity scene by Johann Peter Schwanthaler the Elder was to be sold. It became the first piece of the collection, which by 1930 already comprised 5,000 objects but still had no place to be exhibited. That changed in 1933, when Pastor Johann Veichtlbauer donated his large folklore collection of about 5,500 objects and roughly 30,000 devotional images to the town of Ried. At his wish the house was given the name "Innviertler Volkskundehaus".

For decades the grammar school headmaster and town historian Max Bauböck looked after the museum on a voluntary basis and systematically expanded its holdings. From 1975 to 1977 the old building on Kirchenplatz was generously remodelled and extended, and in 2003 an extension followed with the Sparkassen-Stadtsaal and the exhibition on the town's history.

Today the collection comprises about 12,000 objects, plus about 30,000 images of saints and devotional pictures and around 5,000 paintings and prints. Its focus is on works by the Schwanthaler sculptor family, who were active in Ried for over two centuries, crafts, traditional costumes, jewellery and vessels, religious folk art with reverse glass paintings and convent work, as well as the nativity scene from Oberndorf in front of which "Silent Night" was first heard in 1818. The Galerie der Stadt shows art from the Innviertel since the late 19th century, and the exhibition "Ried zwischen Bayern und Österreich" tells the town's history.

Highlights

• Works by the Schwanthaler sculptor family
• Silent Night nativity scene from Oberndorf
• Religious folk art with reverse glass paintings and convent work
• Galerie der Stadt Ried with art from the Innviertel
• Town history exhibition "Ried zwischen Bayern und Österreich"
• Kislinger-Stube

Permanent exhibitions

• Schwanthaler-Skulpturen – Works by the Schwanthaler sculptor family, who were based in Ried, can be seen on the ground floor.
• Volkskunde und religiöse Volkskunst – Crafts, traditional costumes, jewellery, vessels, reverse glass paintings, convent work and the Silent Night nativity scene from Oberndorf.
• Ried zwischen Bayern und Österreich – Town history exhibition on the eventful history of Ried.

Operated by

Stadtgemeinde Ried im Innkreis

Admission & discounts

Prices according to the Verbund Oberösterreichischer Museen; the website of the town of Ried does not state any prices.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• 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

According to the tourism portal, lift to all floors, toilet in the basement and disabled parking space; according to the museum network, also ramps and tactile guidance systems as well as touch and listening stations.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located at Kirchenplatz 13 in the old town of Ried.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit