House of Nature, Salzburg

Brief information:

• What is the House of Nature? a natural history and technical museum in Salzburg.
• Where is it located? Museumsplatz 5, 5020 Salzburg
• What is there to see? At the House of Nature you can experience fascinating exhibitions on nature, science and technology, including aquariums with living ecosystems, a dinosaur hall with prehistoric creatures, acoustic experiments, physics experiments and a variety of interactive exhibitions to discover the world around us.
• When are the opening hours? Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; 24 Dec to 4:00 p.m.; 25 Dec closed, last admission: 4:30 p.m.
• How much is the entrance fee? Adults 9,5€. Here you can find all prices. With the Salzburg Card the one-off admission is free.
• How much time should I allow? At least 2 hours to half a day.

General

In an area of over 7,000 square meters On 4 floors, the museum presents the fascinating side of nature. Here, visitors experience breathtaking underwater worlds in the aquarium and embark on an extraterrestrial journey in the space hall. They meet gigantic dinosaurs from bygone eras and explore the human body. Another highlight is researching and experimenting in the Science Center.

The House of Nature is divided into the main building and that Science CenterWe just want to describe a few highlights to you.

Main building:

Aquarium and underwater worlds – The secret of the seas

On the ground floor of the “House of Nature” a world full of secrets awaits you – the aquarium and the underwater worlds. 38 display pools, the largest of which has a capacity of 60,000 liters, houses animals from various habitats. Here you will find inhabitants from tropical coral reefs, the Mediterranean, the waters of Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and, not to forget, from local rivers and lakes.

Here you can dive into colorful coral reefs and discover the fascinating diversity of sea creatures.

Each tank recreates a living ecosystem that resembles natural habitats down to the smallest detail. This aquarium is characterized by its authenticity and represents animal relationships that occur in nature.

Tip: Feedings take place Monday to Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

The Space Hall – A Journey into the Universe

On the 2nd floor of the museum, an extraterrestrial adventure awaits you in the space hall. Here you can explore interactive exhibitions and models of our solar system. We found the carts that allow you to measure the weight you would have on the different planets particularly exciting.

The fascination of the universe is presented here in an impressive way. Discover the planets, stars and galaxies and delve into the secrets of space. This is an experience that will amaze not only children but adults too.

The Dinosaur Exhibition – A Journey into Prehistoric Times

In the dinosaur hall you will encounter creatures that populated our planet an unimaginably long time ago. During the entire Mesozoic period, from the Triassic through the Jurassic period to the Cretaceous, dinosaurs dominated the earth as the dominant animal group. Here they are presented in the form of valuable original fossils, high-quality original casts and in impressive, moving replicas, such as the Allosaurus, which even comes to life with roaring noises.

In the dinosaur hall you can also admire the largest fully preserved skeleton of a spoon-billed dinosaur as well as original fossils of ichthyosaurus, including a female specimen with two embryos almost ready to be born in its stomach. Here you will also find the Mastodonsaurus, the largest amphibian of all time. And of course the most famous dinosaur of all cannot be missed: the Tyrannosaurus Rex, presented as an original cast of one of only three skulls found worldwide.

Journey into the human body

Here you can take a fascinating journey into the anatomy and functions of our body. How do the lungs, liver and kidneys work? How does our heart work? Why does the way to the heart of love go through the stomach? Interactive exhibits allow you to understand the wonders of the human organism. From the internal organs to the muscles and bones - here you can explore the human anatomy and learn more about the fascinating mechanism of life.

The topic of the necessity of food and its purpose is also addressed. It explains where the various components come from and what benefits they have for our bodies. Furthermore, a section of the exhibition is devoted to the topic of sexuality without reservation, breaking all taboos.

There is a lot more to discover in the main building, such as the Animal world of the earthwhich Lifeline Salzachwhich Earth through the ages or the Ice Age and Climate. To describe everything here would go beyond the scope

Science Centre:

Various topics are covered here:

Energy and lifting

The lowest floor is devoted to the theme of energy and lifting. Here the laws of levers are illustrated and there is a large lifting platform that allows you to float effortlessly through space. The generation of electricity from hydroelectric power and solar energy is also covered.

Acoustics and music

The first floor is devoted to the phenomena of acoustics. The “Feel Mozart” area is particularly interesting, where you can not only hear the vibrations of music, but also feel them. There are also experiments with your own voice and the opportunity to test your own vocal volume.

Physics and Technology

The second floor offers a variety of experiments in physics, technology and mathematics. Here, major laws of nature are confirmed through simple experiments. There are experiments with forces that answer questions such as how gears work and the use of powders such as cement or coffee.

Body and Fitness

A large area on the second floor is dedicated to the dexterity, movement and health of the human body. The focus here is on simple experiments and sporting competitions in which the body plays a central role. There are also opportunities to test balance, jumping power and reaction, as well as gaining insights into life with a physical handicap.

Conclusion

The “House of Nature” in Salzburg is a place where nature and the wonders of science can be experienced in all their glory. From the fascinating underwater worlds to prehistoric dinosaurs, from the secrets of the universe to human anatomy – there is something to discover for everyone, regardless of age.