Perchtoldsdorf offers six permanent exhibitions (museums, collections
and memorial sites) to visitors. They were set up by the local
authority of Perchtoldsdorf and have found different homes around town.
Osmanenmuseum (Ottoman Museum)
Designed by Hellmuth Lang and opened in 1973, the Osmanenmuseum can be found at the rear of the historical town hall building (Marktplatz 10), where it occupies three rooms on the first floor. It provides an overview of the Turkish invasions in the years 1529 and 1683 and documents the cultural relations between Austria and the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Visitors will be interested to learn from the exhibits that the Turkish sieges of Vienna not only had a profound impact on the capital city itself but also severely threatened the lives and destiny of the people living in the areas surrounding the city and the open country extending towards the east.
The exhibition includes several interesting original items and
artworks, for instance a collection of the medals that were coined on
the occasion of the sieges of Vienna in 1529 and 1683. There are also 11
gouache paintings created in 1628/29 in connection with the
ambassadorial visit to Turkey of Baron Hans Ludwig von Kuefstein. Among
the exhibits, several Turkish weapons and figurines of Austrian and
Turkish soldiers have pride of place
Hugo Wolf Museum
The great Lied composer Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903) was a frequent guest in the home of the Werner family at Brunner Gasse 26. It was there that he composed no less than 116 songs, among them the wonderful music for the poems of Mörike, the Spanisches Liederbuch, the second part of the Italienisches Liederbuch and parts of his opera Der Corregidor. In 1973, this induced the municipality to establish a Hugo Wolf-Museum at the authentically preserved building in Brunner Gasse. The listed collection was newly arranged in 2003 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of the great musician. The scientific concept of the exhibition was developed by Univ. Prof. Leopold Spitzer, president of the International Hugo Wolf Society, the architectural layout was designed by the architect Martin Promintzer.
Documents, scale models and personal items convey an impression of the personality of the composer, and a corner has been set aside for reading and listening.
Following up on a suggestion by the Austrian historical monument protection office, films and databases have been provided for enhancing the edutainment experience. An internet homepage has been launched which offers ample biographical details as well as a complete list of works, images and further useful information.
For further information please check: www.hugowolf.at
Opening hours of the museums:
Opening hours: from may until the end of september, every sunday and public holiday 1.00 - 6.00 p.m.
Visits outside of opening hours possible by appointment under phone (01) 866 83 - 400.
Entrance: € 2.- for adults, € 0.50 for children of age of 6 and above as well as adolescents.
Tours of the museums and guided tours of the town:
Appointments at the culture desk, phone +43 1 866 83-400, at least 2 days before the desired date.
Local history at the Peel tower
In 1973, a Sakralmuseum (museum of sacred art) was established on the ground floor of Perchtoldsdorf’s landmark, the Peel tower. Visitors will find a Baroque crucifixion group from the former church of pilgrimage on Leonhardiberg, old church banners and documentation about Thomas Ebendorfer (1388-1464), Perchtoldsdorf’s most famous parish priest. On the first floor, in the former towerkeeper’s room, excerpts from old documents and other exhibits, such as precious guild chests, convey a vivid impression of local history. The bijoux local history museum was conceived by Silvia Petrin, a knowledgeable expert of the history of Perchtoldsdorf.
The most recent museum, which was opened only in 1995 and is situated one level above the towerkeeper’s room, acquaints visitors with the most ancient local history. The items on display are the results of several years of archaeological excavations in the still undeveloped east of Perchtoldsdorf’s municipal territory. The five major periods of prehistory and early history, Early Stone Age (Neolithic), the Bronze Age, the Iron Age (the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures), Imperial Rome and the great migrations (or Invasion of Barbarians) are represented by impressive finds at the Archaeological Museum (Archäologisches Museum) of Perchtoldsdorf.