The museum is housed in the so-called Seifensiederhaus (literally: soap-boiler house), one of the oldest buildings in Leopoldstadt (Vienna's second district). It was rebuilt in 1685, shortly after the Turkish Siege.

Reports of murders from the Middle Ages to the present day are prominently presented: from the illustrated slates of street ballad singers to the leaflets containing biographies of famous criminals to the newspaper reports of today. The spectrum ranges from criminal cases like murder by poisoning and jealousy murders to Austria's best-known serial killer Jack Unterweger.

Political crime in Austria, beginning with the attempted civil coups of the 19th century, leading via the assassinations of emperors, the murder of War Minister Latour, and anarchist attacks to the abduction of the industrialist Palmer and the OPEC siege in 1975, is also a theme, as is the development of the police and its investigative methods. Crime scene photos, court texts, and relics of executed criminals also make the museum an unusual memorial site of death. The Old Viennese-style café in the building's courtyard offers a friendly contrast to this.The old Viennese Café in the interior courtyard of the building offers a friendly contrast to all of this.

Object labels mostly in German. Audio guides in several languages are available.