Hotel Austria – Museum der Stadt Bad Ischl
City museum in the former Hotel Austria on the Esplanade, on the history of Bad Ischl from salt production through spa and summer retreat to the present.
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About the museum
The house on the Esplanade was originally a salt-processing house belonging to the Seeauer family. From the 1820s, Archduke Franz Karl and Archduchess Sophie, the parents of Emperor Franz Joseph, spent their summer stays here. The Viennese physician Franz de Paula Wirer sent the first spa guests to the town in 1822, and with the spa and summer retreat, Ischl grew into a meeting place of the monarchy. In 1853 Franz Joseph and Elisabeth became engaged in the house; later, as the Hotel Austria, it hosted famous guests.
After two years of renovation, the museum reopened in July 2024 as part of the European Capital of Culture Salzkammergut 2024. The permanent exhibition was completely redesigned and spans more than 7,000 years, with a focus on the 19th to 21st centuries. It covers salt production, spa culture, summer retreats, the imperial era and the railways, leads through the First Republic and the interwar period to the present, and does not shy away from dark chapters such as National Socialism.
Multimedia elements and educational offers for children and young people complement the tour. In 2025/26, another level is being added, dedicated to the Ischl hotelier, patron and world traveler Hans Sarsteiner. The catalog "Sehnsucht Salzkammergut" explores the themes in greater depth.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition on summer retreats, spa culture and the imperial era in the former Hotel Austria
- House of the 1853 engagement of Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth
- Tour spanning 7,000 years up to the present, including dark chapters
- Multimedia and hands-on education for children and young people
- Combined ticket with the Lehárvilla
Permanent exhibition
- Hotel Austria – Stadtgeschichte Bad Ischls – Newly designed permanent exhibition on salt, spa culture, summer retreats and the imperial era up to the present, including the dark chapters of history.
- Founded
- 1989
- Operated by
- Stadtgemeinde Bad Ischl (Museen der Stadt Bad Ischl)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Pupils and students aged 15 to 26, people in civilian or military service, emergency services, people with disabilities |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 14 · Children up to age 14 free. |
| Seniors | €8 |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4People with disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | €4Pupils and students aged 15 to 26; school classes with guided tour €4. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €9 per personGroups of 10 or more people. |
| Families | €8Per parent, including two children up to age 14. |
| Guided tour surcharge (60 minutes) | €3 |
| Guided tour outside opening hours (groups of 10 or more) | €6Surcharge per person. |
| Combined ticket with Lehárvilla | €20Includes a guided tour of the Lehárvilla; valid for one admission to each site within one year. |
| School class with workshop (90 minutes) | €6 |
Reductions with Ischl Card, Salzkammergutcard, Salzburger Familien Card, Steiermark Card and Kurkarte; reductions cannot be combined. With the Salzkammergut Sommer-/Winter-Card, the special price is €8 (without guided tour). During the Christmas season there is a nativity exhibition, which can also be visited without the Hotel Austria for €4.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 14 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €8 · Per parent, including two children up to age 14. |
Family ticket per parent, including two children up to age 14; children up to age 14 enter free. Mediation concepts for children and young people, analog and digital.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bad Ischl Schröpferplatz
Bus stop Bad Ischl Schröpferplatz.
The museum is located on the Esplanade in Bad Ischl.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
According to the tourism portal, there is a museum shop and restroom facilities.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The exhibition can be visited without a guided tour. Guided tours for groups of 10 or more with selectable topics such as "The Emperor on Summer Retreat", "Empress Sisi in Ischl" or "By Train to the Summer Retreat". School classes can book a 90-minute workshop. |
