The interactive experiences at the Technisches Museum (Vienna Museum of Science and Technology) are near endless. Which is one reason I get absolutely knackered every time I visit…
- Numerous themed sections
- Vast collection of exhibits
- Including planes, trains & automobiles
- Top for kids (obviously)
- Special play areas for younger children
- English display text
- What special exhibitions are on?
- Book Technisches Museum tickets* online
- See also:
- Science exhibitions in Vienna
- Immersive experiences in Vienna
- Vienna with kids
Science & technology

(Hard to miss the museum sign)
At the opening in May 1918, one paper described the Technisches Museum as “…a treasury of domestic industrial effort” and expressed relief that young people need no longer travel to Munich to study industrial advances.
You’ll be pleased to learn the displays have changed over the years. But today’s museum still remains a source of wonder for the young (and old).
A visit takes you through about a dozen self-contained areas, each dealing with a particular topic. Examples include transport, energy production, heavy industry, communication, work, and household technology.
Think of it as a testament to human scientific and industrial endeavour: a museum of progress.

(1:1 scale model of the ARTEMIS communication satellite; press photo © Technisches Museum Wien/Christine Tschavoll)
Each of those sections typically features both historical and modern items, with text, audio and video explaining developments through time and/or the role played by particular technologies in today’s world.
I’ve listed some highlights here.
Six aspects of the museum particularly impress me…
1. The Depth
The museum contains a universe of possibilities, with more exhibits, displays, and experiences than you can fit in a black hole. Almost too much (we’ll come back to that issue later). Everything from microscopes to giant steam locomotives.
And the museum continually expands and updates its displays and collections.
2. The Interactivity

(The performance stage in the new Music Lounge dedicated to electronic music)
Dozens of hands-on displays let you experience and explore technological principles, processes, and histories in a more memorable manner.
For example, you might “ride” a cable car, sit in a wheelchair simulator, take a VR flight, send a message by morse code or perform on a giant karaoke stage.
3. The kid-friendly exhibits
The Technisches Museum remains one of Vienna’s best places for entertaining the kids. Many of the interactive experiences specifically target children, plus two play & activity areas (these require a separate timeslot ticket) help burn away the energy of the youngest family members.
4. The sensitivity
The explanations and excitement around the technology sit alongside an awareness of the associated social responsibility.

(3D projection on the museum façade: an animation produced by AI; photo © Technisches Museum Wien)
So the museum talks about recycling of plastics, environmental impacts of energy production, how technology helped totalitarian regimes spread their propaganda, and similar themes.
Posters throughout the museum highlight the work of women scientists and help redress the imbalance in our understanding of historical gender roles in technological progress.
5. The humanity
The displays cover (of course) the technological aspects of a particular theme, but often explore the human element, too. So an exhibition on work also looks at the impact of stress, while one on household items addresses cultural biases in advertising.
6. The special exhibitions

(Cloud City in the 2024 Smart World exhibition; press photo © Technisches Museum Wien)
Finally, the temporary exhibitions at the museum always prove entertaining and informative (see below for the current schedules). I’ve enjoyed all the recent main exhibitions, such as:
- Smart World
- BioInspiration
- AI (back before ChatGPT!)
- Foodprints
- Special Effects
But…
All this excellence comes at a price…tired feet and minds.
With so much to see, poke, press, and read, a visit can be rather overwhelming. So it perhaps makes more sense to focus your time only on those sections that interest you most.
Alternatively, do a quick run through to admire some of the more spectacular exhibits and then narrow your interests down by topic.
Tickets, exhibitions & tips
Any entrance ticket from or for the Technisches Museum also includes all the special exhibitions.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
Special exhibitions
The current schedule for the main exhibitions (at the time of writing):
- CASH. The Value of Money (until March 31st, 2025): the world of physical money in terms of history, production, distribution, disposal, changing roles, symbolism, and sensory aspects like pictured images, the sound of coins and even the smell
- 100 Years of Radio in Austria (until September 2nd, 2025): a look back at the evolution of radio technology and the different roles played by the medium in Austria’s history. From pop to propaganda
A few additional tips:
- Those under 19 go in free
- The great majority of displays contain both German and English text
- Immediately after the ticket control, turn left for a museum shop full of puzzles, little science kits, small toys and all you might expect from a museum of technology
- The museum café and restaurant has a self-service area, too, where you can buy drinks and snacks quickly without waiting for service
- Visit the building after dusk for an extra surprise: 3D projections on 720 m2 of the museum’s façade
A ten minute walk takes you from the museum down to Schönbrunn palace and park, which includes the Tiergarten Schönbrunn (a world-leading zoo), a Children’s Museum (dress up like a Habsburg), and various other entertainments for youngsters.
And, if you enjoy interactivity, then consider some of the Virtual Reality tours and experiences Vienna has to offer.
How to get to the Technisches Museum
To travel there direct on public transport:
Subway: it’s a ten minute walk from Schönbrunn station (on the U4 line) or a slightly longer one from Johnstraße station (on the U3 line)
Tram/bus: two tram stops more or less flank the museum…Penzinger Straße and Winckelmannstraße. The 60 tram line is a good bet, since it leaves from a major railway and subway station (Westbahnhof). The 10A bus stops at Linzer Straße/Johnstraße, which is close to the museum.
Address: Mariahilfer Straße 212, 1140 Vienna | Website