Museum Niederösterreich

About the museum

The Museum Niederösterreich goes back to the former state museum, which from 1911 was housed in the Palais Caprara-Geymüller in Vienna and from 1924 in the Palais Clary-Aldringen in the Herrengasse. After severe war damage it reopened in 1951; in 1996 the building in the Herrengasse was closed.

In 2000, construction began in the new St. Pölten cultural district on a museum building designed by Hans Hollein, which opened in 2002. In 2009 a lift from the underground car park, a glass gastronomy pavilion and a new room for state history were added, and in 2011 the museum garden was redesigned with play elements.

In 2016 the state museum was renamed Museum Niederösterreich and remodelled; since September 2017 there have been two houses under one roof. The House of History tells the history of the province in its Central European context by themes rather than epochs, while the House of Nature shows the habitats of Lower Austria with around 40 living native animal species in aquariums, terrariums and a formicarium. The museum has had a zoo licence since 2002, and the offering is complemented by changing special exhibitions and a nature-oriented museum garden.

Highlights

• House of History: state history by themes and questions rather than epochs
• House of Nature with around 40 living native animal species, including a large Danube tank
• Museum garden with around 300 native plant species, sculptures and a playground
• Animal Tuesday with a tour of the zoo area
• Family afternoon “Sunday at the Museum” on the first Sunday of every month
• Accessible MuseumsAPP in German, English and Austrian Sign Language

Permanent exhibitions

• Haus der Geschichte – Hauptausstellung – The history of Lower Austria in its Central European context, organised by themes such as settlement, migration, power and technology, through to the conflicts of the 20th century and the present.
• Haus für Natur – Hauptausstellung – Habitats of the province with around 40 living native animal species in aquariums, terrariums and a formicarium, including a large Danube tank with sturgeons.
• Museumsgarten – Nature garden with around 300 native plant species, themed islands, a pond for pond turtles, sculptures by Austrian artists and a playground.

Founded

1903

Operated by

Niederösterreichische Museum Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.

Director

Christian Rapp (wissenschaftliche Leitung Haus der Geschichte), Ronald Lintner (wissenschaftliche Leitung Haus für Natur)

Admission & discounts

Niederösterreich-CARD: free admission once (individual visitors only). Free admission with the cultural pass “Hunger auf Kunst & Kultur”. Further discounts include Ö1 Club members (€10.80), Ö1 Intro (€6), armed forces, civilian and military service personnel and emergency organisations (€9), ÖBB Plus (−50%), Raiffeisen customers (−10%). Free admission, among others, with ICOM and Museumsbund ID.

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

Level main entrance with 2 m wide glass doors; all exhibition areas accessible except the cave and the glacier. Tactile orientation model in the foyer, tours for blind and visually impaired people on request. Wheelchairs, folding chairs and walking aids free of charge. MuseumsAPP with content in Austrian Sign Language; information in Easy Read. Disabled parking in front of the Klangturm, about 50 m away; ramp into the museum garden.

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
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Family afternoon on the first Sunday of every month with a creative station, micro show and family tours; holiday programmes and Animal Tuesday. Researcher's backpack with tasks for the house and garden (from 8 years). Children's birthdays from 5 years with an interactive tour and creative part. Children's play corner in the building and playground in the museum garden; changing tables in several toilet facilities.

Getting there & parking

Via the A1 to the St. Pölten junction and the S 33 to the St. Pölten Ost exit, then follow the brown “Kulturbezirk” signs. Sat-nav address: Franz-Schubert-Platz 5, 3100 St. Pölten.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Museum restaurant “edison” in the entrance area with changing lunch menus, coffee and pastries (open during museum hours); snack areas in the foyer and at the Breite Föhre. Free Wi-Fi (Freewave) throughout the building.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Rooms for incentives, seminars, conferences and company parties, partly amid terrariums and aquariums; price list on request, catering by edison, museum tours and activity programmes as a supporting programme.

Plan your visit