Brief information:
- Where is the Museum of Military History located? Address: Arsenal 1, 1030 Vienna
- How much is the entrance fee? Here you can find all Prices.
- When is it open? Here you can find all Opening hours
- What is there to see? The history of the Austrian military from the 16th century to the present day.
- What are the highlights? The car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were murdered in 1914 (which led to the First World War). Numerous companions from the 2nd World War.
The Museum of Military History is located in Vienna's 3rd district, not far from the Belvederes. The building itself has already made history, as it is the centrepiece of the Vienna Arsenal, a huge military building complex consisting of 72 buildings that was erected on the occasion of the 1848/49 revolution.
Today, the Museum of Military History documents the History of the Austrian military affairs from the 16th century to the present. On display are military technology such as weapons, vehicles, military equipment and uniforms. Photographs, paintings and documents are also on display. The different eras are clearly organised in each room. One part of the museum is also dedicated to the history of the Austrian Navy, when Austria still had access to the sea.
Commander's Hall
You enter the museum in the Feldherrenhalle even before you have paid the entrance fee. The hall contains 56 full-length portrait statues of the "the most famous, everlasting emulation of worthy Austrian warlords and generals"as stated in the imperial resolution of 28 February 1863. At 186 cm, they are all the same height. The names and life dates of those depicted are displayed on panels above the figures. Celebrities such as Prince Eugene of Savoy and Emperor Maximilian I can be seen.
The beautiful staircase leads up to the first floor, where you enter the Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame
From the Feldherrenhalle you walk up the stairs to the Ruhmeshalle. This hall is a highlight of the Museum of Military History. The Hall of Fame is decorated with frescoes by Karl von Blaas and depicts the most important military events in Austria's history since the Babenberg dynasty.
Room I - From the Thirty Years' War to Prince Eugene (16th century-1700)
The first room of the museum is dedicated to the history of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. The technical development of firearms can be traced from the 16th century hook rifle to the matchlock, wheellock and flintlock musket. Some of the cutting, stabbing and thrusting weapons of the Thirty Years' War are also on display.
A special exhibit is Wallenstein's handwritten letter to his field marshal Gottfried Heinrich zu Pappenheim dated 15 November 1632, which was written on the eve of the Battle of Lützen. Pappenheim died the next day. He had carried the letter with him and traces of blood can still be seen on it today.
Various items from the Turkish wars are also on display.
Hall II - Spanish War of Succession and Maria Theresa Hall (1701-1789)
Here you can see the deeds of Prince Eugene. The ten-pound "Mortar of Belgrade", which destroyed an entire district of Belgrade with a single shot into a Turkish powder magazine in 1717, can be seen.
Room III - Room of the Revolutions (1789-1848)
The Hall of Revolutions is characterised by the battles of Napoleon Bonaparte at Austerlitz, Würzburg, Aspern, Deutsch-Wagram and Leipzig.
A highlight of the exhibition is the French war balloon "Intrépide" (= "the fearless"), which was captured by Austrian troops on 3 September 1796 during the Battle of Würzburg. Also hidden in a display case is the coat of the Russian general Pavel Andreyevich Shuvalov, which Napoleon wore on his journey into exile to the island of Elba.
Room IV - Field Marshal Radetzky and his time (1848-1866)
This room is dedicated to Josef Wenzel Radetzky von Radetz, who fought in the last Turkish war. He served for 72 years under 5 emperors and was involved in 17 campaigns, for which he received 146 domestic and foreign decorations. Among other things, a field cannon from 1863 is on display.
We now go back down to the Ground floor.
Hall V - Franz Joseph Hall and Sarajevo (1867-1914)
In addition to uniforms and ordnance, the Franz Joseph Hall houses the 34 uniforms of the Austro-Hungarian army painted by Oskar Brüch. Franz Joseph's uniform is also on display here.
A separate section is dedicated to an absolute highlight of the Museum of Military History: the Sarajevo assassinationthat directly triggered the First World War.
On display is the Gräf & Stift car in which the Austrian heir to the throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie Chotek were assassinated on 28 June 1914. You can still see the traces of the two assassinations on the vehicle. These are also recognisable on the Archduke's uniform, as well as the chaise longue on which the heir to the throne succumbed to his injuries.
Also on display are the weapons used, including Browning M.1910/12 pistols and a Kragujevac system hand grenade.
Room VI - The First World War and the end of the Habsburg Monarchy (1914-1918)
This exhibition has been on display on 3 levels since 2014. There are over 2,000 objects relating to the First World War, such as uniforms, armour and equipment.
The highlight is an Austrian siege howitzer M.1916 with a calibre of 38 cm, which could fire shells weighing 750 kg over a distance of 15 km. The Albatros B.II reconnaissance aircraft is also worth seeing.
Room VII - Republic and Dictatorship (1918-1945)
This room is dedicated to the history of the First Republic and the Second World War. Numerous infantry/army uniforms are on display. Numerous technical equipment and vehicles are also on display, such as a BMW R 12 motorbike, 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun, the "Goliath" armoured demolition vehicle, a 44 assault rifle and a VW Kübelwagen. Even aeroplanes are on display. There were also interesting parlour games designed to make the war palatable to children.
Room VIII - Maritime Power Austria
Yes, it's hard to believe, Austria was once a naval power too. The exhibition shows the entire chronology from the formation of the first Danube flotilla to the end of the Austro-Hungarian navy in 1918, with numerous oil paintings and ship models on display.
The highlight here is the U-20 submarine tower, the only surviving fragment of a k.u.k. submarine. You can also look into the tower via a platform.
Conclusion: As small as Austria is today, there were a lot of wars with Austrian participation. Both the exhibits and the halls themselves are well worth seeing!
English 
German