The Gastein Museum shows the history of the spa in Bad Gastein in the province of Salzburg. The museum has been located in the Grand Hotel de l’Europe since 2011.
The forerunner of the museum was an anniversary exhibition - an
exhibition of the collection of the spa director Heinrich von
Zimburg - on June 28, 1936, where the spa stay of the later emperor
Friedrich III. was solemnly remembered. Federal President Wilhelm
Miklas, Governor Franz Rehrl and Mayor Fritz Obrutschka were present
and the writer Franz Karl Ginzkey gave the keynote address. As a
result, Gastein families expanded the collection into a museum with
donations and loans. The museum's valuable holdings were a
collection of paintings by famous old masters, especially the
chamber painters Thomas Ender and Matthäus Loder von Archduke
Johann. One department showed bath models. Gastein minerals were
purchased and a bunk displayed memorabilia from gold mining.
In 1939, with the Second World War, the museum was closed and the
loans returned. In 1946, the rebuilding of the museum began with
Heinrich von Zimburg. The mineral collection of the Böckstein
collectors Zschocke and Frohnwieser, including a 76 kg rock crystal
from the Ankogel, was acquired. The museum was located in the
so-called Grillparzer corner of the old Kursaal and was spatially
cramped. The demolition of the Kursaal, in the place of which the
new spa and congress center was built, caused the museum to be
closed for a second time. The exhibits were packed in boxes and
stored in the attic of the House of Austria.
The further
history of the Gastein Museum is based on the establishment of the
Association of Friends of the Gastein Museum, which was initiated by
Hermann Greinwald and Fritz Gruber from the Rotary Club Gastein as
well as Fritz Kutter and Karl Winter. Former mayor Anton
Kerschbaumer provided the association with rooms in Haus Austria for
exhibitions. In the 1974/75 winter season there was an exhibition of
folk customs relating to the Gastein year. Another special
exhibition showed the history of Gastein in old views. This was
followed by the special exhibition Tauern Crystals.
The
museum was closed for the third time in 2008 with the sale of the
House of Austria and the congress center by the municipality of Bad
Gastein. Thanks to the courtesy of the owner Rosina Tscherne, the
association was able to rent exhibition rooms and storage rooms in
the Grand Hotel de l’Europe. The structural implementation was
carried out by the architectural office FLEOS in Salzburg. On
November 15, 2011, the museum was reopened with Regional Councilor
Tina Widmann.