Wiener Kriminalmuseum
Private museum in an old house in Leopoldstadt on Vienna's history of crime, justice and policing from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century.
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About the museum
The collection goes back to the Imperial and Royal Police Museum: after a much-noted police pavilion at the 1898 Jubilee Exhibition in the Prater, a Museum of the Viennese Police was founded in 1899, housed from 1904 in the police building on Rossauer Lände. It was dissolved in 1939, and many holdings were lost in cellars and through the effects of war.
From the 1980s the remaining objects were reviewed and secured on behalf of the police headquarters; in 1984 part of them was accessible on a limited basis in Berggasse. From 1988 the idea arose of uniting the police collection with a new exhibition in the building at Große Sperlgasse 24. On 8 November 1991 the Wiener Kriminalmuseum opened there.
The building, the so-called Seifensiederhaus (soap-boiler's house), is one of the oldest houses in Leopoldstadt. It stood in the former Jewish ghetto, was rebuilt after the Turkish siege of 1685 and later served for a long time as a butcher's shop. From 1988 the Seyrl family had the dilapidated house renovated with private funds. Today a tour leads through about twenty rooms and ends in the Pawlatschenhof.
Highlights
- Tour through about 20 rooms in the Baroque Seifensiederhaus
- Holdings of the former Imperial and Royal Police Museum
- Famous Viennese criminal cases from Hugo Schenk to Jack Unterweger
- Penal system and public executions in old Vienna
- Historic Pawlatschenhof at the end of the tour
Permanent exhibition
- Kriminal- und Polizeigeschichte Wiens – Chronological tour through about twenty rooms on criminal justice, policing and spectacular crimes in Vienna from the late Middle Ages to the recent past.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- Seyrl KG
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €10.50Students under 26, people with special needs and their companion, military and civilian service personnel, holders of the Vienna City Card, seniors with ID |
| Children & teens | €6.50Child's price up to and including age 16. |
| Seniors | €10.50With ID. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €10.50Reduced admission also for the companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €10.50Students under 26. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €10.50 per personPer person from 10 people. |
| Families | €29Maximum 2 adults and 2 children; each additional child €3. |
| Audio guide | €2.50 |
| Guided tour flat rate (groups of up to 13 people) | €180From 14 people €14 per person |
| School tour (groups of up to 24 pupils) | €140Flat rate; from 25 pupils €7 per person; applies to pupils in compulsory education up to age 16 |
| Surcharge for tour outside opening hours | €40 |
| Puzzle rally (from 10 people) | €20Per person incl. admission and audio guide; outside opening hours €25 |
2026 prices.
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
Because the historic building is a listed monument, according to the museum an accessible visit is not possible.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 14+
| Family ticket | €29 · Maximum 2 adults and 2 children; each additional child €3. |
|---|
The exhibition shows graphic content such as original police and crime-scene photographs; the museum therefore recommends a visit from age 14. There is no fixed age limit; the decision is up to the parents.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Taborstraße
U2 to Taborstraße or Schottenring, U4 to Schottenring; tram 2 to Taborstraße/Karmeliterplatz; bus 5A to Tandelmarktgasse, bus 5B to Taborstraße.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Museum shop, where the audio guides are also issued.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE, EN, FR, IT, ES, RU) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visit possible without a tour and without registration. Group tours (approx. 1 to 1.5 hours) and school tours by registration via email, also outside opening hours. In addition there are themed tours with tickets, a puzzle rally for groups of 10 or more (recommended from age 14) and a city walk on Viennese crime history ending at the museum. |
