UnterWasserReich Schrems

About the museum

The UnterWasserReich is the visitor center of the Hochmoor Schrems nature park and also a Ramsar information center. It sits at the entrance to a peat bog of around 300 hectares, the largest moor in Lower Austria; 119 hectares of it are part of the nature park. The building was designed by AH3 Architekten, the glass façade was created by artist Ingeborg Strobl, the water garden was planned by a landscape architecture firm, and the viewing tower "Himmelsleiter" in the moor was added later.

The site has a long peat tradition: in 1818 the Schrems moor was divided among 54 homeowners, who laboriously cut fuel peat and peat litter by hand. Later machines took over the extraction, and from 1887 until the 1980s there were peat litter factories in Schrems. Today the former extraction area is a nature reserve.

The experience exhibition is devoted to the ponds and moors of the Waldviertel: of the roughly 1,900 ponds in Lower Austria, about 1,800 lie in the Waldviertel, all created by human hands. Aquariums show native fish, a walk-in otter den and an otter slide explain the life of the Eurasian otter, and at microscope stations visitors can examine water samples themselves. Outdoors there is an otter enclosure, a water garden and a café by the pond.

Highlights

• Experience exhibition on the ponds and moors of the Waldviertel
• Aquariums with native fish
• Otter feeding show daily at 10:30, 13:30 and 16:00
• Live microscope shows with plankton from the pond
• Walk-in otter den and otter slide
• Water garden, café with sun terrace and playground

Permanent exhibition

• Erlebnis-Ausstellung „Teichlandschaft Waldviertel“ – The exhibition explains the human-made pond landscape of the Waldviertel, with aquariums, an otter den, a Fischmaulrad (fish-mouth wheel) and a microscope station.

Operated by

UnterWasserReich Naturpark Hochmoor Betriebs GmbH

Director

Christiane Mader, DI Thomas Kainz (Geschäftsführung)

Admission & discounts

Day tickets include the otter feeding show and the microscope live show. With the Niederösterreich-CARD, one free admission at fixed times including the feeding and live show. Other discounts (e.g. bellaflora customer card, trade union members, SN-Card) can be asked about at the ticket desk. Online tickets available.

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

According to the museum, the café and shop are freely accessible and barrier-free; no information is given on the exhibition itself.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Microscope station for hands-on use, walk-in otter den, otter slide and fish-mouth wheel; quiz rally. Children's birthday packages for 8 children and one accompanying adult (€200, about 3 hours) in the UnterWasserReich or in the moor. Large playground next to the café terrace; children under 6 have free admission.

Getting there & parking

By car from Vienna via the A22 to Stockerau Nord, the B4 to Horn and the B2 toward Gmünd to Schrems; from Linz via the A7, B310 and B38 to Schrems.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café with a light-filled interior and large sun terrace by the pond, regional suppliers, souvenir shop with products on nature, water and the Waldviertel; Bankomat and credit cards accepted. Dogs are not allowed in the UnterWasserReich; in the nature park they must be on a leash.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit