Where better to have a museum about Mozart than inside the house he lived in? The Mozarthaus has insights into the man, his music, and the Vienna of his times.
- Focus on Mozart’s Vienna years
- Also includes his original apartment
- What special exhibitions are on?
- Book Mozarthaus tickets* in advance
- …look out for concert add ons
- See also:
- Mozart location guide for Vienna
- Mozart-themed concerts
Worth a visit?
(Mozart lived here!)
The Mozarthaus sits right in the city centre in a historic quarter largely untouched by the passage of time (if you ignore the parking signs). The building is a townhouse restored to its 18th-century grandeur.
The museum essentially invites you on a gentle stroll through a late 1700s world of Mozart, music and society…providing little vignettes of information and items from the past (some original, others copies).
Most importantly, you’re breathing the very air that Mozart breathed over 200 years ago when resident in an apartment on the first floor in the 1780s. Climb the stairs, for example, and you use the same handrail he would have used.
So you follow in the literal footsteps of the world’s greatest-ever musician.
That alone feels like a good reason to visit.
Part 1: Mozart and Vienna
(A bit of sepia colouring and the street outside looks like something from the past, even when snapped in the present day)
You begin on the third floor, where you learn about the city in the 1780s, Mozart’s relationships with the aristocracy, his Freemasonry, and other such topics.
The paintings and maps of Vienna offer an intriguing and beautiful contrast to today’s large metropolis. And I smiled at the copy of Mozart’s application to be a conductor at Stephansdom Cathedral. You just can’t imagine that would have gone well.
This floor is also where you find any temporary special exhibition (see below).
Part 2: Mozart and music
Then you move down to the second floor, where Mozart’s music takes centrestage.
You get the sense that Vienna acted like a Hollywood for musicians, attracting talent from around the continent: various ambitious individuals seeking fame and fortune in the broiling musical air of the imperial Habsburg city.
You discover some of Mozart’s contemporaries, including Christoph Willibald Gluck and the not-nearly-as-infamous-as-people-believe Salieri.
And you also learn about the creation of some of Mozart’s famous operas, his cooperation with librettist du Ponte, and the stories and myths surrounding the Requiem.
This floor includes a delightful video installation displaying excerpts from seven different modern-day performances of The Marriage of Figaro, all running concurrently.
Part 3: The Apartment
(The entrance)
Finally, you have the Mozartwohnung; Mozart’s actual former apartment home makes up a self-contained area on the first floor which takes a more personal approach to his life and work (follow the link for more details).
You won’t come out of the Mozarthaus an expert, but you do emerge with a far better understanding of Mozart the man, businessman, and composer. You also gain an appreciation of the times and musical context he lived in.
And, can I point out again, that Mozart lived and composed at this very location. That’s proper history.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
A Mozarthaus entrance ticket from the venue or elsewhere covers everything inside on all three floors. Look out for packages that include a classical concert in the same building.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
Special exhibitions
A series of temporary exhibitions occupy a single room and typically offer a deeper insight into some aspect of Mozart’s life or music. The current schedule at the time of writing:
- Mozart at Table (until March 16th, 2025): a feast (sorry) of anecdotes and snippets of insight that take us into Mozart’s life and works through the topic of food, drink and dining experiences
Recent past exhibitions:
A few visitor tips:
- As mentioned, the Mozarthaus also hosts concerts in a small vaulted concert hall below the house itself: piano recitals remain a visitor favourite, as well as the Wiener Ensemble’s regular performances of music by Mozart and his contemporaries
- Many classical concerts in Vienna incorporate such historical locations along with the music of Mozart and Strauss. These are often specifically designed for visitors with a lighter touch than at the more austere venues
- Be sure to use the audio guide that comes free with an entrance ticket
The guide comes in various languages, features snippets of music, and includes quotes read out by voice actors. Look for the numbers to key into the handset up on the walls, where you also find details of the pieces playing on the guide.
- As you go between floors, take time to admire the beautiful atrium
- If you wish to learn more about Mozart locations in Vienna, try my online guide
- You can spot the street outside in a scene in the movie The Woman in Gold. Walk about 50m away and onto Wollzeile and you’ll find one of Vienna’s better coffee houses: Café Diglas
- Another nearby tip is Mythos Mozart, which offers a quite remarkable immersive audiovisual experience: from a candlelit Requiem to AI-driven projections
How to get to the Mozarthaus
The museum is tucked away just a street or two behind the cathedral that dominates the historic city centre.
Subway: just a hop, skip and a short ride on a magic flute from the Stephansplatz station on the U1 and U3 lines
Bus: Take the old town lines 1A, 2A or 3A to the Stephansplatz stop.
Address: Domgasse 5, 1010 Vienna | Website