Salzburger Freilichtmuseum

About the museum

The Salzburg Open-Air Museum goes back to the building researcher Kurt Conrad, who began saving rural buildings from across the province for a museum in isolated cases from 1968 and systematically from 1972. The museum was formally founded on 21 December 1978, and the first houses were re-erected at the foot of the Untersberg in Großgmain the following year. On 24 September 1984, Federal President Rudolf Kirchschläger opened the museum.

The museum is run by the State of Salzburg; the 50-hectare site lies in a nature and landscape conservation area and is leased long-term from the Mayr-Melnhof family. The houses are dismantled at their original location, studied by building historians and rebuilt true to the original. They are grouped by the regions of Flachgau, Tennengau, Pongau, Pinzgau and Lungau and linked by a seven-kilometre network of paths and a 1.7-kilometre museum railway.

The museum shows building, living and farming in the countryside from the 15th to the 20th century: farmsteads, alpine huts, mills, forges, a brewery and an early small power plant. Several permanent exhibitions, shadow plays in the houses and craft demonstrations complete the tour. The museum won the Austrian Museum Prize in 1995.

For the 2026 season, a new visitor centre made of wood, glass and concrete was opened, with a ticket desk, museum shop, terrain model, specialist library and seminar room. The museum is supported by a friends' association with now around 10,000 members.

Highlights

• Around 100 re-erected original buildings from all five regions of Salzburg
• Museum railway over 1.7 km with the stations Flachgau, Tennengau and Pongau
• Gaisbergbahn locomotive no. 1 and carriage no. 6 in a Tauern Railway engine shed
• Shadow plays with true stories in six houses
• Collection of 14 historic tractors in the Krallerhof
• Adventure playground with water play, natural Kneipp facility and butterfly adventure trail

Permanent exhibitions

• Gaisbergbahn – In a former engine shed of the Tauern Railway, the original locomotive no. 1 and a carriage recall the rack railway that ran up the Gaisberg from 1887 to 1928.
• Lungau – Land hinter’m Tauern – In the threshing floor of the Abrahamhof, the history, landscape, climate and folk culture of the Lungau are presented, including old itinerant trades.
• Dienstboten im Land Salzburg – In the Taxbauernhaus, a furnished farmhand's room, photographs and eyewitness accounts show the work, rights and daily life of maids and farmhands until after 1945.

Founded

1978

Operated by

Land Salzburg

Director

Peter Fritz

Admission & discounts

Museum railway included in admission. Birthday guests enter free. Free with the Salzburg Card and Chiemgau Karte (19 March–11 November) and the Salzburg Land Card (until 26 October); discount for SN-Card holders on marked event days. Members of the friends' association and the Salzburger Museumsverein enter free. Payment by cash, debit card or credit card; hand-cart rental €4.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The wide gravel paths are mostly easy to use with a wheelchair, walking aid or pushchair; some forest paths are marked as uneven on the map. Many historic houses are not step-free; the ground floors of the engine shed, the general store (Krämerei), the Knotzinger house and the Prähausen cottage are accessible. An electric mobility scooter and a wheelchair are lent out free of charge (reservation recommended, +43 662 850011-15). Step-free boarding on the museum railway in the last carriage. Induction loop at both ticket desks. Accessible toilets in the visitor centre, at the Gasthaus Salettl, in the Thanngütl and at the Lärchen. Disabled parking about 100 m from the entrance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Free museum quiz at the ticket desk and children's audio guide “Nachgucker” about almost forgotten everyday objects. Adventure playground with water play near the Gasthaus Salettl, natural Kneipp facility, historic classroom and butterfly adventure trail. Workshops, holiday programmes and children's birthday parties (e.g. “Fun & Games” for 6- to 10-year-olds). Hand carts for hire; changing tables in the entrance building, in the Bundwerkstadel and at the Salettl.

Getting there & parking

Take the Salzburg-West or Wals motorway exit (exit 297), then follow the signs for about 5 km; sat-nav address Hasenweg 1, 5084 Großgmain. The cycle path runs right past the museum, with bicycle parking opposite the entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Museum inn “Salettl” with a historic pavilion and a large beer garden (9:30 am–5:30 pm, hot food 10:30 am–4:30 pm). Museum shop “Krämerei” in the visitor centre. Numerous rest and picnic areas, covered in the Salinenstadel; barbecuing is not permitted.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 250 guests.

Knotzingerhaus (up to 30 people), Buchnerstall (up to 70), Bundwerkstadel (banquet up to 180, concert up to 250), pavilion (up to 90) and the Salettl dining room (40); events usually from 6 pm, catering via the Salettl. Seminar room in the visitor centre for 80–120 people.

Plan your visit