A fantastic military history museum in a complex of historic and beautiful buildings. The only exception is the Panzerhalle where many of the tanks in the museums extensive collection are stored / displayed. This collection was my primary reason for visiting this museum. The Panzerhalle is a utilitarian warehouse where the tanks and armored vehicles are parked tightly in two long rows. A few have step ladders next to them that allows visitors to look down thru open hatches on the tops of the tanks. On Sundays only, you can actually enter some of the tanks. The lighting in the Panzerhalle isn't ideal for photography since its strongly yellow tinted and distorts the true colors of the vehicles and isn't contrast to the natural lighting coming thru the windows. There are dual-language (German / English) signs in front of each vehicle that provides very basic info and stats of that vehicle. There weren't any docents available to answer any questions, just a couple of guys that were apparently there for security? They didn't know anything about the tanks and rudely just said read the signs and then walked away. That may not be the case in the other buildings or collections where I didn't try to ask questions about the displays. Outside the main museum building, there are some more tanks in desperate need of restoration and protection scattered about a yard. I stark contrast to the tank collections poor condition and questionable curation, most of this extensive museum has fantastic displays of armor, weapons, uniforms and a nice variety of other technologies and paraphernalia covering several centuries of Austrian military history. Despite my critical comments of the tank collection here, which could be remedied with better preservation and curation, I highly recommend this museum. It truly is a world-class museum. read more

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The Vienna Museum of Military History was a super interesting stop we made while in Austria! We popped in while on vacation and it was in the middle of the day during the work week, so it was very light in attendance. That was actually quite nice, as we got to go at our own pace without crowds rushing us along. I'm not too sure how crowded it gets, but the collection was quite nice so hopefully they get busier than what we saw. The museum itself is gorgeous in its architecture and design. The Hall of Fame, right when you come into the main entrance, has beautiful arches and rich red carpets - you truly feel like you're at a royal wedding or something, it's so magnificent. Some of the highlights were the tank garden, the giant French war balloon, and the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, spurring the beginning of WWI (you can even see the bullet holes still showing on it). Oh, and one thing to note about the archduke's car - it appears to just be sitting in the open air on a platform, but there are motion sensors around it so don't get too close. My husband did just that and it set off sirens and some guards came running, but they saw we were just English tourists who didn't read the German sign that said not to get too close! LOL Definitely orientate yourself with the map of the museum, because some things are sort of hidden. In particular, once we thought we were done seeing everything and were about to leave, we thought "Hmmm....where was the WWII stuff?" while we were walking through the gift shop/cafe. Then we looked to the room beyond the gift shop, and voila - there it was. So if you're looking for the WWII information from Austria's point of view (the "War of Persuasion" was what was emblazoned above this area), then that is this area. If you haven't looked at the map, it's sort of "hidden" behind the gift shop. If you're a fan of European history, and especially military history, then I think you will definitely enjoy this museum! read more

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Speaking as a History major, this was one of the most fascinating museums I've ever been to. The highlight was undoubtedly the car that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was riding in Sarajevo when he was assassinated. This, of course, led to the start of WWI given the various alliances in Europe. You can see his uniform with the bullet hole and his wife's lace handkerchief. Other highlighlights for me were the majestic coats of armor, the handmade guns, a replica battleship and military uniforms over the centuries. There was also a nice selection of paintings. Definitely recommend if you are interested in European History! read more

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The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum is a great museum to help visitors appreciate military history as well as the horrors of war. Also, the building itself is architecturally impressive inside and out. They also have information about the exhibits available in many different languages; there are handouts at the entrances to each exhibit. On the entrance floor, they have an excellent exhibit on World War I. The exhibits are informative, interesting, and educational & it's also very well-curated and well-designed in terms of the museumgoer's experience. The museum's collection includes many large & impressive pieces including weapons, military vehicles, etc. I'd highly recommend checking out the World War I exhibit first, then the other side of the same floor for World War II. If you have limited time, I'd recommend popping upstairs for a quick look at the architectural details. For those interested, they also have quite a few models of boats, as well as some old firearms. read more

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Incredible collection of historic items, we easily spent 3 hours in here. Some English but mostly German. The first Sunday of the month is free admittance, lockers are available and the cafe has a nice variety of refreshments. read more

The inside of this building is dramatic, stately, and awe-inspiring. I was hooked when I entered, and the admission price is reasonable! Our first stop was the top/upper floor. The museum is ostensibly categorized into three sections, two of which are upstairs. In this section, I was interested, but the modern section on the ground floor was really where I felt an impact. Upstairs, of the two sections, one was a comprehensive look at the Napoleonic era, as well as some time before or after, including mid-1800s nationalism. In my view, and this is just mine, there could have been a bit more thematically here to tie the detailed exhibits and maps together. There were larger placards (in English and German) that explained immediate context in a helpful way, but larger-scale explanations needed "beefing up." This era can be quite confusing for some: monarch names are repetitive and similar, kingdoms switched around/disintegrated/coalesced, and many countries we now know well were in no way the same at that time. It was such a time of change, in terms of borders and "who had power when," so it might confuse some people. Less successful was the other section of this floor, the 16th-18th (I think?) century areas. Trust me, as a history person, I have the utmost respect for the careful and detailed level of historic preservation of the artifacts, and it's not lost on me how cool it is to see such old items "in the flesh." I apologize for sounding selfish here, but this section has noticeably older placards and information, and very little in English. I don't want to sound entitled, but English is a lingua franca in many places, as well as a language many speak when they need to have one in common for conversation, business, etc. It also didn't fit with the robust levels of English translation elsewhere in the museum. My guess is that the museum will do this for this section of the floor, but it hasn't gotten around to it yet, going section-by-section across all three. The ground floor was where the most modern exhibit was. I love 20th century history (OK, anything post-Renaissance), so I was ready to dig into some World War I info. I already knew that this museum contained THE car where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. That didn't stop me from being positively awed by its existence when I turned the corner and saw it. No, this assassination in June 1914 didn't start WWI by itself, given the myriad factors that led to it and had been "brewing" for some time. But this was the most immediate cause and a majorly dramatic, consequential event, so seeing the original car (not a replica) in person was mind-blowing. So too was gazing upon the emperor's actual clothing he wore that day, complete with the fateful bullet hole. The rest of the floor is packed with chronological organization of WWI artifacts, from enormous airplanes and missile launchers to uniforms and weapons. Many countries are featured here, artifact-wise, including some that ceased to exist because of (or just after) this "war to end all wars." It would be nice to have some WWII artifacts here, though it might be a space issue. I hope it's not a matter of being hesitant to acknowledge Austria's Nazi collaboration and capitulation, but the museum seemed to treat history in an honest, detailed manner for other wars, so I would assume the best here. read more

Outstanding, assuming you have some interest in European military history. The modern displays on WWI are the highlight, most notably the artifacts from Sarajevo that sparked the war. The drier displays upstairs include real treasures as well from Austria's central role in the Napoleonic wars and the expulsion of the Ottomans. The building is great, appropriately grand but militaristic. Be sure to pick up the one-pagers available at the entry to each room, available in a dozen languages: even if you can read the German artifact tags, these provide good historical context. Annoyingly, taking photos costs an extra 2 Euro... read more

Heeresgeschichtliches Museum - One of the marquee artifacts: the uniform Archduke Franz Ferdinand was wearing and couch he died on in Sarajevo - Museums Near Me - Vienna, 9

Jacob's Gist: Very interesting museum with priceless pieces of history- such as Franz Ferdinand's car and uniform! ================== I came to the HGM with a group of probably 20 people on a class trip. One of the highlights of my visit to Europe was learning about the history of the World Wars and then physically being able to see the things we learned about. The HGM has a great WW1 exhibit that features incredible pieces of history that are a huge draw to any history buff. The car and uniform Franz Ferdinand was shot in are probably the biggest draws (and were my favorite part of the museum) but there are so many other pieces on exhibit. They have some WW2 items as well but their WW1 exhibit takes up much more space and is definitely the center of attention here. You can buy a sticker that gives you permission to take pictures for the equivalent of about 2€ which is probably a good idea to purchase if you like having photos of what you see in museums. I personally did not purchase it (but snuck a few photos anyways!). read more

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This is an amazing museum. I just got off the hop on hop off bus because we were coming back from the schonbrunn palace and I had to pee. Great bathrooms here. But since it was included on our Vienna pass we went in. Absolutely beautiful building. Ceiling paintings, sculptures- including the entrance where all the military heroes are sculptures- life size! The upper chamber-the Ruhmeshalle- will take your breath away. , Get the audio tour if you are a military buff. We just walked through and took lots of cool pictures without really knowing what stuff was. Signs are in Austrian. read more

I am a great fan of museums particularly military history museums and if you are a military history buff this museum is not to be missed. The amount of material on display is simply amazing and represents aspects of military history which are unfamiliar to many of us. For example the exploits of the Austrian-Hungarian Navy are certainly not well known to the average American student of military history. The Sarajevo room displays the automobile in which Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were riding when assassinated plus the blood stained uniform worn by the Arch Duke. It is sobering to realize that these are artifacts from the event which resulted in World War 1 in which millions perished and whose effects are still felt today. The museum has a huge collection of uniforms and weapons however many exhibits are only explained in German so if you aren't a German speaker and are not familiar with the history of the era you may be challenged by some of the exhibits. The building which houses the museum is beautiful, the museum is uncrowded, and the staff are friendly. If you are a student of military history and are in Vienna this museum is a must see. read more

Beautiful museum full of a wide range of history. The displays are well done, with many (but not all) signs in both German and English. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, offering audio tours (download the app) in your preferred language. There are also brochures in several areas in multiple languages. I easily spent 4 hrs there. I look forward to visiting again in the future! Danke from this American visitor!!! read more

These Austrians know how to do museums right. Converted from the Arsenal and old military academy grounds, the Museum of Military History is awash with oil paintings, domed ceilings, and hardwood parkay floors. You almost forget that the museum is showcasing the imperial and militaristic might of the former Austria-Hungarian empire. The exhibits are ordered by age beginning in the 1500s. The building is 2 stories so give yourself at least an hour to get though the earlY stuff (because clearly I don't know my Austrian history), the Prussian Wars, WW1 and WW2--unless you read German in which give yourself at least 2 hours. The collection is rather nice, if not sparse for the sheer volume of space they are working within. The WW1 collection is very nice including the car Franz Ferdinand rode inside in Sarajevo and the handguns used to assassinate or attempt to assassinate him (off topic, if WW1 interests you at all check out the Great War series on You Tube and if firearms of the war interest you more check out the Primer series, also on You Tube). The WW2 exhibit was pretty sparse but they did have some cool pieces you don't often see in Allied museums. I loved looking at that little Liberator-- and it was in good condition.. Considering. All in all worth the trip, but it should be noted that nearly everything is in German only and the War Museum in Athens had a much nicer and more extensive collection of items. Also the lighting was really dark. Some notes for tourists: the cost was 6 Euro for Adults, 4 Euro for seniors. You pay an additional 2 Euros for the "privilege" of taking photos. No flash photography is allowed and you must coat check your large items. When getting here, I took the "D" line metro from the Opera House. You can always take a cab, but this was a nice 8-10 min walk from the station through a park. You will also get to walk through the Arsenal this way as opposed to simply being dropped off at the door. The cost for a metro ticket was 2,20 Euro each way. read more

Beautiful museum to see many artifacts from different eras. This was one of the easiest museums to get in. The location is very close to Belvedere so you can easily make a trip when you are in the area. read more

That name is almost as long as 'supercalifragilisticexpealidocious,' but just almost. This is a military museum. There were sections devoted to the many military engagements in Austria's past, things with the ottomans, 1848 revolutions, WWI, and WWII et al. In each of these areas, there were objects like weapons, battle flags, instruments from militia bands, and uniforms. A really interesting place to visit if you are into history, military, weaponry etc. read more

One of the nicest surprises in vienna. Very under rated museum and great value for money. An audio guide is provided with your 5 EUR entrance ticket. A lot of interesting artifacts are on display. The car and clothes of the assassinated franz Ferdinand are even on display. read more

Heeresgeschichtliches Museum - Museums Near Me - Vienna, 9

"my country, tis of thee, Austria-Hungary, obey your king" - C. Montgomery Burns a truly fascinating and well-maintained historical museum, especially if you are into military history and tech. plenty of documentation in (mostly) German and (often) English. lots of paintings and tapestries and neat artifacts, as well as artillery, tanks, firearms, and even submarine parts. one part which was really interesting is the series of paintings of the various military groups - some based on profession (chaplains, medics, artillery, communications) but others based on ethnic/national groupings. Austria-Hungary kind of gets overlooked in history, but the empire ruled a dizzying array of groups condensed into a fairly compact corner of Europe. they actually have the car which the Archduke was killed in which sparked WW1. one dinky little automobile, still pockmarked with bullet holes, and even the gun is here - just thinking how much of the past century is due to the stuff in this room is really mind-boggling. the grounds of the museum, which are the old military academy and arsenal, are well-kept and lovely to walk through. nothing quite like a stroll through the PanzerGarten! spend the extra 2 Euro so you can take photos (no flash though). read more

I wish we could have seen more of this museum, it was 20 minutes til closing when we arrived. But they were nice enough to let us walk around for free. This was a great location to visit after the castle cus it has a lot of Emperor Franz and Maria Theresa historical objects. read more

Loved this place, one of my favorite warm museums in Europe, I think partly because I have always been fascinated with the Ottoman Empire and the sieges on Vienna are important points in Ottoman history and this museum does a great job of covering them. Sadly we were there when the Franz Ferninand exhibit was closed. Will have to check that out next time. read more

Pretty amazing exhibitions -- starting from the 16th century to WW II. The WW I collection was one of the highlights and the only exhibition with both German and English explanations. The rest of the exhibitions have description labels in German. read more

Really good museum, not expensive to enter and lots to see. The museum was fairly empty surprisingly but that was nice. Worth checking out if in town! read more

Just north of Südbahnhof, the Military Museum is part of the Arsenal complex and houses a great collection of art and documents plus vehicles and planes showing the 30year war up to the WW2 era, with Austria as a focus, of course. Uniforms, arms, videos, a free audio guide available in 3 languages, there is a lot of information and impressive visualization of the history of the wars Habsburg was involved in. The entrance can be accessed thru the Schweizer Garten. The ticket salesperson is very helpful and friendly. The tank collection outside is impressive. The café is too hot and the shop could use some new ideas. Entrance fee is moderate. Great education. Allow 2 hours min. read more

great museum. sad we had little time to explore... you should reserve 3 hours minimum if you want to keep up with the history