Schloss Freistadt

About the museum

The Habsburgs had the town fortress of Freistadt built in the late 14th century; the mighty keep was completed in 1397, and the chapel was added after 1400. After centuries as property of the sovereign, the castle belonged to noble families such as the Harrachs and Kinskys before passing to the town at the end of the 18th century and to the state in 1853. For a long time the complex served as barracks, later as the seat of government offices.

A museum has been housed here since 1926, initially as the “Heimathaus Freistadt”. Its foundation was holdings from the town archive; the castle chapel was set up as the first exhibition room, followed later by the pillared hall and, from 1948, the keep. From the 1950s the Upper Austrian State Museum looked after the building and the collection and professionalised the museum's work, with a focus on sacred art emerging.

Since 2000 the museum has been run by a museum association. During this time a new foyer and rooms for special exhibitions were created, and the collection was expanded to include everyday culture. Today it comprises around 29,000 objects, a specialist library and a large picture archive.

The permanent exhibition tells the almost 800-year history of the trading town of Freistadt, shows folk culture and crafts of the 19th century on nine floors of the keep, and presents the decorative ceramics from nearby St. Peter. From the tower's walkway at a height of 40 metres you can look out over the old town.

Highlights

• Keep with nine exhibition floors and a viewing walkway at a height of 40 metres
• Town history with guild chests, scales and weights of the trading town
• Alpine flower and decorative ceramics from St. Peter near Freistadt
• Castle chapel with a collection of reverse glass paintings (guided tour only)
• Collection on the history of customs and finance (guided tour only)

Permanent exhibitions

• Stadtgeschichte – Original objects such as a pitch jug, stone cannonballs and a hook gun, as well as guild chests, scales and weights, tell of the trade and crafts of the medieval town.
• Volkskunde und Handwerksgeschichte im Turm – Over nine floors of the keep, the focus is on everyday culture of the 19th century – from jurisdiction and the guild system to customs and folk piety; at the top awaits the viewing walkway.
• Oberösterreichische Keramik aus St. Peter – In the servants' building, a dedicated room shows the utility and decorative ceramics of a workshop from St. Peter near Freistadt, including the popular alpine flower ceramics.

Founded

1926

Operated by

Verein Mühlviertler Schlossmuseum Freistadt

Director

Bettina Stütz (Kustodin)

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Museumsbund card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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 museum, the listed castle cannot be visited barrier-free.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers museum education activities for children and young people.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop sells publications. The archive and specialist library (around 17,000 volumes) can be used during opening hours; books that are available for loan can be borrowed.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit