Museum der Stadt Villach

About the museum

The foundation of the museum was laid in 1873 by the building contractor Carl Andreas Picco, who made his collection available to the city. This makes it one of the oldest city museums in Austria. After several temporary premises, it moved in 1935 into a building on Kaiser-Joseph-Platz, which was destroyed in bombing raids in 1945; the holdings, however, had been relocated in time and survived.

Since 1960 the museum has been housed in a townhouse on Widmanngasse. It was created around 1600 by merging two older houses and belonged for generations to families of the urban upper class, most recently the Crusiz family from 1817. The arcaded courtyard and several interior rooms have retained their Renaissance character; the street façade received its present appearance in 1893.

On roughly 800 m², the permanent exhibition shows archaeological finds from six millennia, the development of Villach as a bridge, market and trading town, and art from the Middle Ages to the present. In the courtyard and the lapidarium stand Roman stone monuments made of local marble, alongside medieval testimonies such as a 15th-century pillory. A major special exhibition is added every year.

The museum has three branches: the Relief of Carinthia in Schillerpark, the Stadtpfarrturm (parish church tower) as a viewing point, and the showroom in the former Bamberger Burg. The museum holds the Austrian Museum Seal of Quality and also looks after the city archive.

Highlights

• Collection of Roman stones in the arcaded courtyard and lapidarium
• Funeral shield of the provincial governor Christoph Khevenhüller
• Archaeological finds from six millennia, including a Roman gold coin hoard
• Medieval panel paintings, including predella panels of the Maria Gail winged altarpiece
• City model with a virtual tour of medieval Villach
• Hands-on stations and puzzle booklet for children

Permanent exhibitions

• Archäologie – Newly designed section with archaeological finds from six millennia – from Stone Age finds from the Kanzianiberg and Celtic and Roman coins to early medieval grave jewellery.
• Stadtgeschichte – Crafts and trade, bourgeoisie and nobility, and the development of Villach from a bridge settlement to a town, complemented by a city model and stone monuments in the courtyard.
• Kunstsammlung – Panel paintings and sculptures by medieval masters as well as landscapes and portraits by regional painters such as Jakob Canciani and the Willroider brothers, up to the present day.

Founded

1873

Operated by

Stadt Villach

Director

Andreas Kuchler

Admission & discounts

Free admission with Kärnten Card, ICOM card and Erlebnis CARD/summer programme. Tickets are also available online.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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

Special tours for people with dementia or cognitive impairments.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

At the ticket desk there is a puzzle booklet featuring the museum mascot Wunderwauzi. In the exhibition, texts for children and hands-on stations help: a stone axe and a copper axe to touch, a tunic and toga to try on, a magnetic map of the raw materials of the Roman Empire, and a role-play about Anna Neumann. Children and young people under 19 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

In the city centre, about a 2-minute walk west of the Stadtpfarrkirche.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit