The Salzburg Open-Air Museum is Salzburg’s largest museum. It is located at the foot of the Untersberg in the municipality of Großgmain and displays representative buildings from the five Salzburg districts in charming surroundings. It gives visitors a unique insight into rural building and living culture. Stroll through the grounds of the open-air museum with its 100 restored original buildings and get a taste of history in the open air.

Embark on a journey through the centuries: The Großgmain Open-Air Museum documents rural life, building and farming in the province of Salzburg from the 15th to 20th centuries. Here you can marvel at old mills and farmhouses or a power station from the early days of electricity generation. But the Salzburg Open-Air Museum has much more to offer on the 50-hectare museum grounds.

The houses of the Großgmain Open-Air Museum

The houses on display show a rich variety: old farms, mills and residential buildings, as well as stables, church buildings and craft workshops from days gone by adorn the museum grounds in Großgmain.

Exhibitions in Salzburg’s largest museum

The many exhibitions at the Großgmain open-air museum are diverse and rich in detail. Visit the permanent exhibition “Lungau – Land hinter’m Tauern” in the Abrahamhof. A whole 270 m² are dedicated to the Salzburg region of Lungau, its history, geography and folk culture. A vintage car exhibition shows old agricultural vehicles.

There are also exhibitions on:

• Country breweries,
• old fence forms,
• Life as a servant,
• Mousetraps, plows, power stations and light railroads
• Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Museum railroad in the Salzburg Open-Air Museum

The best way to explore the huge grounds is on the museum train. It runs through the Grossgmain Open-Air Museum on a 1.7 km long route and takes you comfortably to the numerous attractions in the museum. The railroad line runs from the “Flachgau” station at the museum entrance to the “Pongau” terminus right through the entire site and offers barrier-free access.

A trip to Großgmain is particularly worthwhile in summer and when the weather is good. The museum is also open at special times during the Christmas holidays.

You can reach the open-air museum in Großgmain from Salzburg’s old town by taking bus 180 from the main train station. If you are traveling by car, take the “Salzburg-West” or “Wals/Exit 297” freeway exit and follow the signs to the Großgmain Open-Air Museum. For further information on events or current information, please visit the website of the Großgmain Open-Air Museum.

Image credits © SalzburgerLand Tourismus