Volkskundemuseum Wien

About the museum

The Volkskundemuseum Wien (Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art) was founded in 1895 by Michael Haberlandt and Wilhelm Hein as an association museum; its operator to this day is the Verein für Volkskunde (Society for Folklore), established a year earlier. The founders wanted to present the everyday culture of all peoples of the Habsburg Monarchy on an equal footing and soon extended this to other European regions. After its first years in rooms of the Vienna Stock Exchange, the museum moved in 1917 to the Baroque Schönborn Garden Palace in the Josefstadt district, where it opened in 1920.

In the 20th century, the museum reflected political upheavals: after 1918, the German-speaking Alpine regions moved to the centre, and under the Corporate State and during the Nazi era the museum's management willingly placed itself at the service of the respective ideology. After 1945, the museum was realigned as the "Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde"; from 1972 to 2008 there was also a branch museum for Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in Kittsee. In 1994, a new permanent exhibition opened in the Hildebrandt Palace, which was dismantled in 2023 in preparation for the renovation.

Today the museum sees itself as an open place for questions about everyday life, identity and coexistence, and preserves around 150,000 objects and more than 260,000 photographs, some of which are accessible online. Since January 2025, the Garden Palace has been undergoing comprehensive, ecological renovation, including a new lift and larger exhibition areas. During the construction period, the museum operates from Pavilion 1 at the Otto Wagner Areal in Penzing; a first preview in the renovated building is announced for May 2027, and the reopening with a new concept for September 2027.

Highlights

• Baroque Schönborn Garden Palace as the main building (under renovation)
• Around 150,000 objects and more than 260,000 photographs on everyday culture
• Online Sammlung Plus with more than 23,000 digitised items
• Interim venue in Pavilion 1 at the Otto Wagner Areal with free admission

Founded

1895

Operated by

Verein für Volkskunde

Director

Matthias Beitl

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to Pavilion 1 at the Otto Wagner Areal is free; registration is required for some events.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking
• 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

Pavilion 1: a platform stairlift leads from the main entrance to the foyer; the toilets are not wheelchair-accessible. A parking space in front of the building can be used by arrangement by phone (+43 1 406 89 05). Education programmes are designed on request for deaf, blind, visually impaired or mobility-impaired people and in Easy Language, with communication assistance for deaf people after advance booking.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Interim venue in Pavilion 1 at the Otto Wagner Areal, Baumgartner Höhe 1; postal address remains Laudongasse 15–19, 1080 Vienna.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop: not available

The Hildebrandt Café, shop and library are closed during the renovation; at the Otto Wagner Areal, the Mostothek serves must and cider on Tuesdays from May to September.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

No venue hire currently because of the renovation; in the Garden Palace, the Great Hall, Blue Salon, inner courtyard and garden, among others, were available for hire.

Plan your visit