Haus der Musik (House of Music), Vienna
In Vienna鈥檚 House of Music鈥攈istory hums, composers gossip from the walls, and even the staircase plays along...
Housed in the former Archduke Karl Palace, this sonic playground opened its doors in the year 2000, sprawling over 5,000 square meters of auditory intrigue. It鈥檚 part museum, part time machine, and part science lab鈥攑erfectly pitched between highbrow and hands-on. Here, you can expect everything from Viennese classicism to the wild evolution of sound, all woven together with the story of the mighty Vienna Philharmonic.
The building itself has had quite a life. Born in the 16th century as an imperial cannon foundry (really!), it later became home to Archduke Karl of Austria-Teschen, famous not only for his military victories but for being the first Habsburg to bring a Christmas tree indoors. A few centuries later, the place morphed into a student residence, then a cultural hotspot, and finally, the palace of music we know today.
Your journey begins through a stately courtyard, where a grand piano welcomes you with all the grace of a tuxedoed ma卯tre d鈥檋么tel. Inside, prepare to tickle the ivories yourself鈥攍iterally鈥攐n the "Stairplay" piano staircase, where each step strikes a note.
On the first floor, you鈥檒l meet the Vienna Philharmonic鈥攏ot in person, but close. Dive into its glittering history with rare memorabilia, cheeky concert posters, and even an hourly cinema. Don鈥檛 miss the Mozart & Haydn dice game鈥攊t鈥檚 musical composition by chance, and surprisingly addictive.
Head up to Sonotopia on the second floor, a wonderland of sound science. From the Origin Room to the Wave Tube, it鈥檚 a sensory playground that explains why your ears are amazing and how sound gets from a vibrating string to your brain.
The third floor is a love letter to Vienna鈥檚 musical Classicism鈥擧aydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and the gang. Peek into their lives via personal relics, funky holograms, and charming recreations of their 18th-century hangouts.
And for the finale, the fourth floor hands you the baton鈥攍iterally鈥攚ith the Virtual Conductor, where you can lead the Vienna Philharmonic yourself (they won鈥檛 judge your tempo, promise). Wind down in the Room of Silence, or hit the gift shop for souvenirs that sound as good as they look.
In short: music lives here鈥攁nd it鈥檚 got stories to sing...
Housed in the former Archduke Karl Palace, this sonic playground opened its doors in the year 2000, sprawling over 5,000 square meters of auditory intrigue. It鈥檚 part museum, part time machine, and part science lab鈥攑erfectly pitched between highbrow and hands-on. Here, you can expect everything from Viennese classicism to the wild evolution of sound, all woven together with the story of the mighty Vienna Philharmonic.
The building itself has had quite a life. Born in the 16th century as an imperial cannon foundry (really!), it later became home to Archduke Karl of Austria-Teschen, famous not only for his military victories but for being the first Habsburg to bring a Christmas tree indoors. A few centuries later, the place morphed into a student residence, then a cultural hotspot, and finally, the palace of music we know today.
Your journey begins through a stately courtyard, where a grand piano welcomes you with all the grace of a tuxedoed ma卯tre d鈥檋么tel. Inside, prepare to tickle the ivories yourself鈥攍iterally鈥攐n the "Stairplay" piano staircase, where each step strikes a note.
On the first floor, you鈥檒l meet the Vienna Philharmonic鈥攏ot in person, but close. Dive into its glittering history with rare memorabilia, cheeky concert posters, and even an hourly cinema. Don鈥檛 miss the Mozart & Haydn dice game鈥攊t鈥檚 musical composition by chance, and surprisingly addictive.
Head up to Sonotopia on the second floor, a wonderland of sound science. From the Origin Room to the Wave Tube, it鈥檚 a sensory playground that explains why your ears are amazing and how sound gets from a vibrating string to your brain.
The third floor is a love letter to Vienna鈥檚 musical Classicism鈥擧aydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and the gang. Peek into their lives via personal relics, funky holograms, and charming recreations of their 18th-century hangouts.
And for the finale, the fourth floor hands you the baton鈥攍iterally鈥攚ith the Virtual Conductor, where you can lead the Vienna Philharmonic yourself (they won鈥檛 judge your tempo, promise). Wind down in the Room of Silence, or hit the gift shop for souvenirs that sound as good as they look.
In short: music lives here鈥攁nd it鈥檚 got stories to sing...
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Haus der Musik (House of Music) on Map
Sight Name: Haus der Musik (House of Music)
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria
Create Your Own Walk in Vienna
Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Vienna Introduction Walking Tour
A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering 鈥� Vienna, the capital of Austria, embodies a blend of regal tradition and contemporary vibrancy. The origin of the city's name is rooted in Roman times, stemming from the Celtic word Vedunia, meaning 鈥渇orest stream鈥�, which later evolved into Vindobona, a Roman... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I
Among the plethora of other things, the capital of Austria, Vienna, is renowned for its contribution to Art Nouveau 鈥� the popular art movement emerged and flourished at the turn of the 20th century. Stemming from it the Viennese Secession movement, also known as the Austrian Art Nouveau, or Jugendstil (in German), gave rise to a number of architectural marvels.
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
By far the most colorful of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Old Town Chocolate Stores
Vienna is famous for its love for sweet indulgence. And when it comes to chocolate, it stands tall among other locally-made mouth-watering confections.
Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.
Landmark... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.
Landmark... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Johann Strauss Walking Tour
Throughout the entire 19th century, Vienna was a hub of cultural and musical activity, particularly in the realm of classical music, to which Johann Strauss and his father, Johann Strauss Sr., contributed greatly.
Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II
Characterized by ornamental and organic designs, flowing lines, and harmonious integration of various artistic elements, Vienna's Art Nouveau architecture was aimed at breaking away from historical styles and embracing a more modern, decorative approach. The city's architects of that era sought to create an absolute work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where all aspects of a building's... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Vienna's Historical Music Venues
Austria is synonymous with classical music almost to the point of obsession, and to call Vienna the "Musical Capital of the World" would be hardly an exaggeration. Indeed, over the past centuries, the city served as the home and workplace for many great musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Strauss, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and others.
Among the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Among the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
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