Vienna will soon have a new House of History where locals and visitors can learn about the history of Austria throughout its journey towards democracy. To rise on Heldenplatz in the Hofburg Palace, the museum is expected to launch in 2018. The date of its opening will mark the centennial of the end of World War One and the disintegration of Austria-Hungary.
Instead of being the usual museum, this House of History will showcase the darker side of Austria’s history and the start of the attempted revolutions in 1848.
It will also feature the present history of migration in the country in comparison to what occurred in the 19th century.
According to historian Oliver Rathkolb who heads the scientific advisory board of the museum, the House of History will mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Austria’s first democratic phase. It was in 1918 when the country first got its taste of democracy before it was annexed by Germany in 1938.
To be situated on the first floor of the Hofburg palace, this new museum will cover some 3,000 square metres of exhibition space. It will be managed by the National Library and State Archives.
