Burgring 7, A- 1014
Tel. 01- 521 7700
Subway: Volkstheater
Bus:2A, 48A
Trolley: 2, D, J, 46, 49
Open: 9am- 6:30pm Thu- Mon (to 9pm Wed)
Closed: Jan 1, May 1, Nov 1, Dec 25
www.nhm-wien.ac.at
Naturhistorisches Museum or Museum of Natural History was opened in 1889 include a huge collection of archaeological, anthropological, mineralogical, zoological and geological displays. Among its most interesting collections is a collection of human skulls. The largest display of this kind shows human evolution over the centuries. Another interesting artifact in Naturhistorisches Museum is Venus of Willendorf, 24,000 year old Palaeolithic fertility statue. Many other human artifacts from prehistoric times as well as dinosaur fossils are found here. In case you were wondering on why does Naturhistorisches Museum looks a lot like Kunsthistorishes Museum the answer is simple. They were designed by the same architect. He did not bother himself with multiple designs so chose one and used it for both museums.
Origins in the 18th Century: Imperial Cabinets and the
Enlightenment
The museum’s collections trace back to 1750
(sometimes cited as 1748), when Holy Roman Emperor Francis I (Franz
Stephan von Lorraine, husband of Empress Maria Theresa) purchased
the world’s largest private natural history collection from
Florentine scholar Jean de Baillou (or Johann Ritter von Baillou).
This acquisition included about 30,000 objects—rare fossils, snails,
mussels, corals, minerals, and precious stones—and formed the
foundation of what would become the museum.
Emperor Francis I was
an enthusiastic patron of natural sciences. He established the
Schönbrunn Zoo (1752) and a botanical garden (1753), and sponsored
the first Austrian scientific overseas expedition in 1755, led by
Nicolaus Joseph Jacquin to the Caribbean and northern South America.
Jacquin returned with live plants and animals plus dozens of cases
of specimens.
After Francis I’s death, Maria Theresa transferred
the collection to the state and opened it to the public (initially
twice a week), creating what is often described as one of the first
Enlightenment-era public museums. She appointed the mineralogist
Ignaz von Born to classify and expand it, turning the “natural
history cabinet” into a European center for practical research,
especially in mineralogy and mining.
19th Century Expansion:
Expeditions and Growth
Under Emperor Francis II/I (r. 1792–1835),
an “animal cabinet” was added, incorporating hunting trophies and
collections from figures like falconer Joseph Natterer. A plant
cabinet followed. The scholar Carl Schreibers (in charge 1806–1851)
professionalized the collections, turning them into research
centers.
Key expeditions dramatically enriched the holdings:
Brazilian Expedition (1817–1835): Sponsored for the marriage of
Archduchess Leopoldine to Dom Pedro of Brazil. Researchers including
Johann Natterer (who stayed 18 years), Johann Mikan, and painter
Thomas Ender collected over 133,000 specimens (plants, animals,
minerals). This gave the collection worldwide renown but created
severe space shortages.
Novara Circumnavigation (1857–1859): The
Austrian frigate sailed the globe; scientists like Ferdinand von
Hochstetter brought back vast mineral, zoological, botanical, and
ethnological materials.
Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition
(1872–1874): Led by Julius von Payer and Carl Weyprecht, it
discovered Franz Joseph Land and returned with valuable Arctic
specimens despite extreme hardship.
These efforts, supported by
the imperial family and navy, transformed the collections into a
global resource.
The Grand Museum: Construction and Opening
(1871–1889)
By the mid-19th century, space constraints in the
Hofburg and other locations became critical. Emperor Franz Joseph I
commissioned a grand new museum as part of the Ringstrasse
redevelopment after demolishing Vienna’s city walls.
Architects
Gottfried Semper and Carl von Hasenauer designed the
Naturhistorisches Museum and its identical twin, the
Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum), facing each other
across Maria-Theresien-Platz. They were intended as part of a larger
unrealized “Imperial Forum.” Construction on the Natural History
Museum ran from 1871 to 1881 (façade completed 1881).
The
building is a masterpiece of historicism (neo-Renaissance style),
about 170m long and 70m wide, with two inner courtyards. The façade
features allegorical statues representing scientific progress and
the power of nature. A 65m dome is crowned by a statue of Helios
(sun god, symbolizing life-giving force). The inscription reads:
"Dem Reiche der Natur und seiner Erforschung — Kaiser FRANZ JOSEF I"
(“To the realm of nature and its exploration — Emperor Franz Joseph
I”).
Ferdinand von Hochstetter (geologist, first superintendent
1876–1884) profoundly influenced the internal organization,
emphasizing evolution and systematic display. He did not live to see
the opening. His successor was Franz von Hauer.
The museum opened
on August 10, 1889, in the Emperor’s presence. It was an immediate
success, attracting 175,000 visitors by year’s end (many on free
Sundays). It was conceived as one of the first true “museums of
evolution.”
20th Century and Beyond: Wars, Modernization, and
Research
The museum endured the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire, becoming a state institution. During World War II, many
collections were evacuated, saving them from destruction. Post-war,
it continued as a research powerhouse.
Today it has around 39
exhibition halls covering 8,460–8,700 m², displaying over 100,000
objects. The layout largely preserves the 19th-century systematic
organization (inanimate nature on the mezzanine, life sciences on
the upper floor), though updated for modern understanding of
evolution as diversity rather than linear progress toward
perfection.
Notable features include:
One of the world’s
largest and oldest meteorite collections.
Iconic artifacts like
the 29,500-year-old Venus of Willendorf.
Dinosaur skeletons, a
giant topaz (117 kg), and Maria Theresa’s jeweled bouquet.
Historic interiors with frescoes (e.g., Hans Canon’s Circle of Life
on the grand staircase ceiling), oil paintings, and original dark
wood cases.
Directors have included prominent scientists like
Hochstetter, Steindachner, and modern figures such as Christian
Köberl (2010–2020) and current Director General Katrin Vohland
(since 2020).
Recent developments include a Digital Planetarium
(opened for the 125th anniversary), underground storage (1990s),
roof conversions, and ongoing modernization while preserving
historic character. The museum emphasizes research, education,
carbon-neutral goals by 2030, and self-reflective exhibitions (e.g.,
on collecting ethics for its 150th anniversary).
Significance
The Naturhistorisches Museum Wien stands as a monument to Habsburg
patronage of science, Enlightenment ideals, and 19th-century
museum-building ambition. Its dual role as a sumptuous palace of
knowledge and active research center—with strong collections in
mineralogy, paleontology, zoology, prehistory, and
anthropology—makes it unique. The building itself is as much an
exhibit as the specimens inside, blending art, architecture, and
science in a way few museums achieve.
The Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Natural History Museum Vienna) is
a masterpiece of 19th-century historicist architecture, designed as a
"temple of science" to house the Habsburgs' vast natural history
collections. It forms a symmetrical twin with the Kunsthistorisches
Museum (Art History Museum) across Maria-Theresien-Platz on Vienna's
Ringstraße.
Historical Context and Architects
Emperor Franz
Joseph I commissioned the building in the 1870s as part of a grander,
unrealized "Kaiserforum" (Imperial Forum) project. Architects Gottfried
Semper (1803–1879) and Carl Hasenauer (1833–1894) designed it. Semper,
the more influential figure, shaped the facades and overarching concept,
while Hasenauer handled much of the interior after Semper's death.
Construction ran from 1871 to 1881 (facade completed), with the museum
officially opening on August 10, 1889. It exemplifies Historicism (or
Neo-Renaissance style), popular in 19th-century Vienna, blending
elements from Renaissance, Baroque, and other historical periods into a
cohesive, monumental whole. The design integrates architecture,
sculpture, and painting as a Gesamtkunstwerk ("total work of art") that
reflects natural sciences themes.
Exterior Architecture
Dimensions: Approximately 170 meters long and 70 meters wide, with two
internal courtyards surrounded by exhibition and working rooms.
Facade: Semper designed the richly decorated facade with allegorical and
mythological figures representing the elements of the universe, the
progress of natural sciences, and humanity's understanding of nature.
The upper and middle levels feature these sculptures prominently. The
balustrade displays statues of notable scientists and researchers,
symbolizing the advancement of knowledge.
Dome: The roof is crowned
by a 65-meter-high dome topped with a large bronze statue of Helios, the
Greek sun god—symbolizing the life-giving force essential to nature.
Below the dome, golden letters proclaim the imperial dedication: "Dem
Reiche der Natur und seiner Erforschung — Kaiser FRANZ JOSEF I" ("To the
realm of nature and its exploration").
Distinguishing Feature: While
the two museums have nearly identical exteriors, the Naturhistorisches
Museum is identifiable by the Helios statue on its dome (the
Kunsthistorisches has a different crowning figure) and often an elephant
statue in front.
The building sits prominently on the Ringstraße,
part of Vienna's UNESCO World Heritage historic center.
Interior
Architecture and Layout
The interior is sumptuous and thematically
integrated with the collections. It uses high-quality materials and
systematic organization that mirrors 19th-century scientific thinking.
Entrance Hall / Dome Hall: A grand, awe-inspiring space. Visitors look
up ~40 meters through an opening in the intricately decorated ceiling
into the dome. Portraits of key natural scientists and collectors
(including the museum's first director, Ferdinand von Hochstetter)
surround the opening. The floor features white Carrara marble and black
Belgian limestone in a checkered pattern. Walls use plaster imitating
marble. Rare precious stones and valuable materials adorn the space.
Grand Staircase: A sweeping marble staircase leads upward, adorned with
sculptures, paintings, and decorative elements. It serves as a
ceremonial axis embodying Enlightenment ideals of progress and
classification.
Ceiling Fresco: Hans Canon's massive ~100 m² The
Circle of Life (above the grand staircase) is a highlight. It
allegorically depicts humanity's rise and decline, the struggle for
existence (echoing Darwinian ideas), and humanity's relationship with
nature—central to the museum's conceptual design.
Exhibition Halls:
There are 39 exhibition rooms covering 8,460 m². The layout follows a
scientific progression:
Mezzanine (Ground/lower level): Inanimate
nature (mineralogy, halls 1–5), geology/paleontology (halls 6–10),
prehistory, and anthropology.
Upper floor: Zoology and biodiversity
(halls 22–39).
Halls feature ornate marble archways, high ceilings,
wall paintings (by leading Austrian landscape painters), stone carvings,
and oil paintings. Many retain original wooden cabinets or historic
display cases, creating a dense, immersive atmosphere. Decorative
elements (sculptures, frescoes) often thematically link to the
exhibits—e.g., evolutionary or natural motifs.
Materials: Extensive
use of marble, decorative stones, precious materials, and high
craftsmanship. The design emphasizes harmony between container and
contents.
Key Architectural Themes and Symbolism
The building
embodies 19th-century positivism and the Habsburgs' patronage of
science. Semper's vision integrated the structure into its urban
environment while creating a self-contained "temple" celebrating
nature's continuity. The systematic layout reflects taxonomic and
evolutionary ordering of knowledge. Allegorical art throughout
reinforces themes of discovery, the cycle of life, and humanity's place
in nature.
The museum’s collections trace back over 250 years to the Habsburg
era. In 1750, Emperor Francis I (husband of Maria Theresa) acquired the
large private collection of Florentine scholar Jean de Baillou (about
30,000 objects including fossils, shells, corals, minerals, and
gemstones). This formed the core. Subsequent Habsburg expeditions (e.g.,
to the Caribbean, Brazil, and the North Pole) greatly expanded it.
The current building on Maria-Theresien-Platz (facing the
Kunsthistorisches Museum) was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Designed by Gottfried Semper and Carl Hasenauer in a grand historicist
style (Renaissance influences), it opened in 1889. The inscription
reads: "Dem Reiche der Natur und seiner Erforschung" ("To the realm of
nature and its exploration"). The interior features ornate 19th-century
wooden display cases, over 100 oil paintings, sculptures, and a grand
staircase with Hans Canon’s ceiling fresco The Circle of Life. The
layout follows a systematic, somewhat outdated 19th-century progression:
from inanimate nature and Earth’s history on the mezzanine to the
diversity of life on the upper floors.
Major Departments and
Collections
Mineralogy & Petrography (Halls 1–4)
One of the
museum’s strongest areas, with a collection of around 168,000 catalogued
objects (far more pieces in reality). It features aesthetically stunning
and scientifically important minerals, ores, gemstones, rocks,
decorative stones, and building materials. Highlights include a gemstone
bouquet (ca. 1760, made of precious stones) and extensive holdings from
the former Habsburg territories. The displays emphasize both beauty and
geological significance.
Meteorites (Hall 5)
The museum boasts
the world’s largest and oldest public meteorite collection on display,
including iron meteorites (e.g., the Hraschina meteorite), Martian
meteorites like Tissint, and various impactites/tektites. This spans
centuries of accumulation.
Geology & Paleontology (Halls 6–10)
Covers Earth’s history through sediments, fossils, and early life forms.
Key features:
Reconstructions of ancient environments (e.g., a
Carboniferous forest with giant dragonflies, a 420-million-year-old
reef).
Spectacular dinosaur skeletons and fossils (Hall 10 includes
an animatronic Allosaurus).
Extensive invertebrate and vertebrate
fossil collections, including rare specimens.
Prehistory (Halls
11–13)
Focuses on early human history with stone tools, ivory beads,
clay vessels, and other artifacts. It includes the renowned "Gold
Cabinet" with objects spanning five millennia.
Anthropology
(Halls 14–15)
Explores human origins and development. A major
highlight is the new permanent exhibition on human evolution. It
features skeletal remains and comparative anatomy.
Zoology (Upper
floors, Halls 22–39)
Showcases the diversity of the animal kingdom in
systematic order (from simpler to more complex forms, per 19th-century
thinking). Sections cover:
Insects, crustaceans, spiders (Hall
24) — immense variety, with large models and dioramas.
Amphibians
and Reptiles (Halls 27–28) — including a Komodo dragon and a large
gharial (Ganges gavial).
Birds and Mammals (later halls) — taxidermy
specimens, skeletons (e.g., fin whale, narwhal), and extinct species
like the Steller’s sea cow (extinct >200 years ago) and thylacine
(Tasmanian tiger).
Notable rarities: Coelacanth, kakapo, and many
others.
Other Notable Areas:
Microtheater / New Perspectives
(Hall 21): Focuses on microscopic life.
Botany: Extensive herbarium
(Index Herbariorum code: W) with angiosperms, gymnosperms, ferns,
bryophytes, lichens, algae, and fungi.
Ice Age Children and their
World (Hall 16): Dedicated exhibit.
Iconic Highlights (Top
Objects)
Venus of Willendorf (ca. 29,500 years old): Iconic 11 cm
Paleolithic limestone figurine, one of the most famous prehistoric
artworks. Displayed in a dedicated "Venus Cabinet" with other early
sculptures like the Statuette of Stratzing ("Fanny").
Enormous
dinosaur skeletons and fossils.
Gemstone bouquet.
Meteorite
collection.
Extinct species specimens (Steller’s sea cow, thylacine).
Rare fossils, shells, corals, and a vast array of taxidermied animals.