The reopened Wien Museum is a completely renovated and expanded building that documents the fascinating history of Vienna from early times to the present day. This ultra-modern museum has retained many of its original features. The building on Vienna’s Karlsplatz was originally designed by the famous architect Oswald Haerdtl, a former employee of Josef Hoffmann, and opened in 1959. However, it was bursting at the seams and in need of renovation.

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The listed museum was modernized from the ground up and an upper floor was added. A cube made of exposed concrete now “floats” above the original building, which will house temporary exhibitions. The net usable space has almost doubled. An open space has been created between the old and new buildings, which is used as a terrace. It offers spectacular views over Karlsplatz and the surrounding area. This floor also hosts a café, an event center and educational studios. A glass pavilion was built around the entrance of the museum to welcome visitors like an outstretched hand.

Free of charge for all: from Emilie to Poldi

With its unique collection of outstanding works of art and historical exhibits, the Wien Museum offers exciting insights into the city's history from the Neolithic Age to the present day. The newly designed permanent presentation “Vienna. My History” spans three floors, 3,300 square meters of exhibition space and includes 1,700 objects. It is also a pioneer: following the example of British national museums, it is open to all visitors free of charge. The Wien Museum is the first public museum in Austria to adopt this approach. There are also a number of free programs for students, children and families. 

The Wien Museum's most high-profile exhibits date from the 19th and early 20th centuries: paintings by Gustav Klimt (including the world-famous portrait of his companion Emilie Flöge and Pallas Athene), Egon Schiele, Richard Gerstl and much more. The former atrium has been transformed into a spacious 25-meter-high central hall. This is where the museum’s larger exhibits are posed, including the mascot “Poldi” (a ten meter long and 1.7 ton sculpture of a whale from the legendary Prater restaurant Zum Walfisch), a stately mayoral carriage, a model of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Waldheim horse, a sign from the Südbahnhof and the original sculptures from the Donnerbrunnen fountain. 

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The “trude & töchter” culinary philosophy was created in the new Wien Museum to delight the palate. The museum's restaurant “trude”, which is dedicated to the Viennese photographer Trude Fleischmann (1895-1990), is located in the entrance area. It has an outdoor terrace and serves modern Viennese cuisine. The café-bar on the terrace floor and its adjacent balcony is called “& töchter”. 

We recommend that visitors to the Wien Museum also explore its exciting surroundings: Karlsplatz and the Gußhausviertel. The Grätzel (the local Viennese word for neighborhood) directly surrounding the museum is known for its opulent architecture and many a culinary highlight.