If you are holidaying with your child in the famous Austrian resort of Salzburger Sportwelt, or in Salzburg itself, we recommend a visit to a very interesting open-air museum. This museum complex covers over 50 hectares and is located in the heart of the Untersberg Nature Reserve in Großgmain. Hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals stroll through this cultural centre every year! There's no better place to learn about Austrian culture, architecture and everyday life.
The Salzburg Open Air Museum is based on a settlement that actually existed many hundreds of years ago. Specialists have restored six dozen old buildings, including original fully furnished farmhouses, a school for farm children, craft shops, a hunting lodge, shops, agricultural buildings and even a small brewery. In addition, you and your child can enjoy the magnificent natural surroundings that surround all the local architecture.
The unique architectural collection of the Salzburger Land is astonishing. Several hundred very old buildings stand out in the open as they did many, many years ago. Not only can you show your child what the houses of the past look like from the outside, but you can also introduce the young traveller to their interior. Farming tools, rustic wooden furniture and stoves will give your child a complete picture of the everyday life of ordinary people in the past. Although the huts are modestly decorated, visitors are impressed by their authenticity. Some items are still covered in dust, a testament to their age.
One of the oldest exhibits is a building dating from 1442. You can enter it (as well as all the other buildings in the museum village) and experience the rustic interior.
The Salzburg Open Air Museum is like a Lego set. All the pieces have been brought from different parts of Austria, restored and put together to form a veritable village ensemble. There is also a children's playground, a goat pen and trolleys for parents to enjoy the exhibits.
As well as walking around the museum complex, visitors can also take a ride on a small train that runs through the area. Are you tired and exhausted? It's time to head home, but on your way back, be sure to stop by the local souvenir shop on the museum grounds. You can buy some small handmade souvenirs in the shop. It makes a great gift for the family and friends you'll be welcoming back home.
