If you're walking around Vienna with your family, don't forget to visit the Museum of Military History. For boys, a visit to this museum will be an entertaining adventure, a pleasant experience, a journey to other times when people dressed differently, fought wars, mastered strange machines and shot from cannons.
For girls, contemplating the beauty of the frescoes, faces and costumes will take them out of their familiar and ordinary lives and make them feel time and life in an adult way.
General information
The Museum of Military History of Vienna (HGM) was built between 1850 and 1856 as an arsenal according to the plans of T. Hansen and L. Förster. The architecture of the building is dominated by neo-Gothic and Moorish-Byzantine styles.
The artistic design of the interior took 16 years and was completed in 1872. Between 1884 and 1891, the curators assembled a magnificent collection of military objects, and on 21 May 1891 the 'Museum of Arms', as it was then called, welcomed its first visitors.
Today it claims to be the oldest and largest military museum in the world. The museum's first-rate collections also include artistic, technical, cultural and scientific objects.
The list of permanent exhibitions includes "The Thirty Years' War, The Turkish War, Prince Eugene of Savoy, Maria Theresa, Josef Radetzky, Franz Joseph I, World War I, Sarajevo, the Hall of Revolutions, Republic and Dictatorship (1918-1945), Austrian Naval Power, the Tank Garden and the Artillery Halls. A special exhibition collection "Protection and Relief" focuses on the Austrian Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991.
The Bunker Ungerberg Bruckneudorf, the Museum of Military Aviation (Hangar 8), the Starhenberg Barracks with a collection of old telecommunications equipment and the Old Dockyard are the different branches of the museum. There is a travelling exhibition called World War I.
Museum guides give tours adapted to the age of the visitors, from pre-school children to seniors.
For nursery school groups, the place is meant to sound, come alive and touch the senses. An astonishing echo travels under the dome of the building. The guide points out the depictions of musical instruments in 17th-century paintings and the strange headdresses (e.g. a brain hood). Nineteenth-century nautical expeditions on original ships take the little admirals to the perpetual ice of the Arctic.
Pupils in years 1-4 also explore Turkish treasures: flags, symbols, bows, arrows, turbans, drums and the Golden Apple tent. Visitors in grades 5-8 are interested in stories about weapons (ages 14-19), the noble knight Prince Eugeniusz, Radetzky, everyday life of soldiers, the life of Maria Theresa and her son, migration to Austria, Napoleon, the role of women in politics, nazi propaganda in the Third Reich, etc.
Children's programmes and holidays
"History Days: are themed reconstructions of events and settings from ancient times to the present day. The "Military from Antiquity to the Second World War" events take you on a long journey back in time.
The atmosphere of gladiator fights and the world before the twentieth century is recreated in everyday objects and military equipment. A diorama with more than 1000 objects creates the illusion of being there, especially for children and young people. There is also a painting workshop and a "corner" where a narrator presents the events in an interesting way, recounting legends and proven facts.
The "Allies in Vienna" theme explores life in Austrian society under occupation from 1945 to 1955. In the "Middle Ages" show, everyone can hold a weapon, practice fencing, learn how to make fire and enjoy a taste of medieval cuisine. A separate "History Day" is devoted exclusively to fencing and fighting techniques.
"One Night at Wallenstein's Camp" (1618) includes a four-hour children's programme with demonstrations and a diorama of 2,000 figures. Late in the evening, a free meal of German speciality 'Eintopf' will warm the stomachs.
The "Go Modelling 18" exhibition, organised by the International Society of Plastic Modellers, will showcase numerous scale models of cars, planes, ships, animals, etc. The organisers are running a children's modelling competition and providing a large area for creativity.
After tough negotiations with the owner, the director of the museum managed to acquire a genuine Egyptian sarcophagus. It is said to contain a dead pharaoh. On the night of the return of the mummy, the museum guards open the coffin without permission and a terrible thing happens... The adventure is suitable for children aged 6 and over.
Many attractions, including archery and obstacle courses, are on offer during the birthday celebrations of the Children's Club at the HGM. An excellent children's programme, concerts, performances by artists and a barbecue kitchen make for a family celebration during the exhibition on 7 centuries of military history entitled "Uniforms and gunpowder shooting".
Military vehicles from around the world, from legendary jeeps to tanks, gather in the open air behind the museum building during the On Wheels and Caterpillars festival.
The two-day festival includes live music, a picnic and a car boot sale. Admission is free.
Fancy some old army humour? Funny stories and anecdotes will be told by Dr Georg Hes, an honorary lawyer and retired head of the Austrian Armed Forces. But that's not all.
Children between the ages of 7 and 12 are invited to celebrate their birthdays at the museum. They can dress up as knights and ladies, musketeers, pirates or explorers. All costumes (clothes and armour) are made from the finest materials. The games last 2-2.5 hours.
The medieval pre-Christmas fair features Christmas trees, bazaars, music, circus arts and fencing. Santa Claus and Krampus are also present. An evening fire show rounds off the festivities.
This is a museum where you can live, feel and experience history. Every day of the calendar has an event that the staff have lovingly prepared for their guests. Make time to come here with your family and enjoy your favourite holidays.
