This branch of Vienna’s main Jewish Museum focuses primarily on Jewish life in Vienna before World War II and in the present day. The museum’s exhibitions showcase the richness and diversity of the Viennese Jewish community up to 1938, as well as its renewed revival in recent decades. The exhibitions include art objects, religious artifacts, photographs, paintings, and more.
Since 2013, the museum has had a permanent exhibition called “Our City! Jewish Vienna – Then and Now.” This exhibition displays art objects, documents, writings, and everyday items used by members of the community. The display takes visitors from 1945 to the present day. It describes the community’s ongoing struggle to recover after the terrible Holocaust and its inability to rely on the Austrian governments during this period. The story of the community’s growth is wonderfully depicted, incorporating interesting exhibits. You can see how the immigration of Jews from Eastern Europe changed the composition of the community and led it to become what it is today.
The reason the exhibition’s name includes an exclamation mark is not accidental. It is intended to spark a discussion among visitors regarding issues related to the treatment of Jews in Vienna and their historical connection to the city. The exhibition deals with the question of whether Jews throughout history could call Vienna their city, as well as questions like how one defines “our city” and what associations arise among Jews when they think of Vienna as their city. These are certainly interesting topics, given that the Jews of Vienna, despite their great importance to the city, were persecuted, tortured, and murdered not only during the Holocaust but for centuries, since the Middle Ages.
3D Displays
As part of the museum’s exhibition, there is a three-dimensional animation that allows for a virtual tour of the ancient synagogues that were destroyed in Vienna during the Holocaust.
The Collections Area
In this part of the museum, there are glass cabinets containing a variety of collections related to the life of the Jewish community. The exhibits include religious objects, everyday items, documents, and art. These objects are part of the private collections of collectors such as the Berger, Schlaff, and Stern families.
On the ground floor of the museum, there is a nice café and a shop with interesting books and art objects.
This is what the Jewish Museum of Vienna (both branches – Dorotheergasse and Judenplatz) looks like
Additional Essential Information for Visiting the Jewish Museum of Vienna
Opening Hours:
- Sunday – Friday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- The museum is closed on Saturdays.
Costs (The ticket is valid for both branches of the Jewish Museum):
- Adult: €15
- Senior: €13
- Student: €11
- Child (up to age 18): Free
- Multimedia Guide: €4 per person
Free entry for holders of the Vienna PASS.
Click to order tickets online for the Jewish Museum and the Judenplatz Museum
How to get to the Jewish Museum of Vienna?
The Jewish Museum is a 3-minute walk from the Stephansplatz subway station. You can reach this station via the red subway line U1.
Address: Dorotheergasse 11
Map:
Read more information about the second branch of the Jewish Museum located in Judenplatz. You can also read more about the Jewish community in Vienna and 20 other Jewish places around the city.
