A few steps from the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) and set within an ancient historic palace, the House of Music is a space designed for the whole family where learning is done through play.
Here, culture and fun merge to provide a unique experience for music lovers. An interactive path leads to the discovery of the world of sounds and acoustic phenomena and the history of some of the greatest classical music composers.
Useful information for visiting the House of Music
The Haus der Musik – its original name in German – is an interactive museum ideal for families with children and for anyone looking for an activity different from the traditional ones to do in the Austrian capital.
For this reason, it’s difficult to indicate the ideal duration of the visit; however, I would say no less than two hours!
Where it is and how to get there
The Haus der Musik is located in the southern part of Vienna’s historic center, about ten minutes’ walk from both St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Karlsplatz.
If you’re using public transportation, the subway is the best option since the U1, U2, and U4 lines all pass through the nearby Karlsplatz station. Alternatively, you can take the tram on lines 1, 2, 62, 71, and D.
Opening hours
They are extended compared to other city museums. In fact, the Haus der Musik is open every day from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
The last entry allowed is at 9:30 PM.
Prices and ticket purchase
All rates are updated as of March 2025:
- adults, €17
- teenagers (12-17 years), €13
- children up to 11 years, €7
- infants up to 3 years, free
I bought the ticket online, and once at the entrance, all I had to do was show the electronic voucher on my smartphone.
You can use the free cloakroom, located right next to the ticket counter, and on-site there is a room with vending machines where you can buy food, drinks, and coffee.
A characteristic place to have a drink or dinner is the Bettelstudent, located less than 200 meters from the Haus der Musik. I talk about it in this blog article dedicated to where to eat in Vienna.
What to see at the House of Music in Vienna
It is a place that proposes a new approach to music and sound, combining scientific knowledge with wholesome fun, analog with digital, tradition with innovation.
An idea that seems to have had great success since the museum has welcomed over three million visitors since its opening in 2000. The building is divided into four floors overlooking the inner courtyard, where a piano has been placed for musicians of all genre and talent.
During the tour, there will be other instruments to try playing 😉
First floor
Such a project could only be developed in a city that has always been linked to music. The visit begins in the apartments where Otto Nicolai (1810-1849), the founder and first master of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, lived. To get there you have to play the “staircase-piano”, where each step corresponds to a musical note.
The first floor also houses the museum with the historical archive and a series of memorabilia such as the sticks used by some of the most famous conductors. In one room you can watch the film with highlights of the Vienna New Year’s Concert, one of the most famous musical events in the world.
Before reaching the next floor there is another interactive game for adults and children. Each participant – up to four at the same time – must roll the dice to compose their own waltz. At the end of the visit, those who wish can get their composition at the souvenir shop.
Second floor
This area is dedicated to the physics of sound and how our body perceives each auditory stimulus produced by the environment.
Following the “learning by doing” approach (and having fun, in this case!), visitors can observe and touch different musical instruments to understand how sound is produced.
In the Universe & LAB section, thanks to virtual reality you have full freedom in creating Clongs, a kind of “sound particles” with specific shape, colours and sounds. Then, in the adjacent room they come to life within the Universe of sounds.
The “Animal Concert” is the space reserved for the little ones to sing, clap their hands and dance while conducting the Zoo choir.
Third floor
In the House of Music, there has to be an area dedicated to the greatest Austrian composers.
Historical documents, films, costumes, personal items, and installations tell the story of the life and genius of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss and Mahler.
What impressed me the most was the installation that, to the notes of the famous Für Elise, shows Beethoven’s progressive loss of hearing over the years and how today, thanks to technology, deafness would no longer have been a problem for his life and artistic career.
Fourth floor
This is where a dream comes true… conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra!
Here you can become an orchestra conductor and guide the musicians in performing iconic compositions such as The Blue Danube or the Radetzky March.
Before beginning, anyone who needs it can listen to the suggestions of Maestro Zubin Mehta, the Honorary President of the House of Music. Then it’s up to us to take the stage and lead the musicians, determining dynamics and rhythms. But be careful, if the direction is not satisfactory then the orchestra members will at some point refuse to continue…
The visit ends in a silent room, where the illuminated inscription “Reset your ears” invites people to rest their hearing before leaving.
Finally, in the museum shop, it is possible to buy souvenirs of all kinds and request – for a fee – the sheet music of the waltz composed by rolling dice on the first floor.
