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Natural History Museum Vienna

The Natural History Museum Vienna is a large natural history museum housed in a historicist palace from 1889 on the Ringstraße, opposite the Museum of Art History. Its 39 exhibition rooms cover 8,700 m² and display more than 100,000 objects, from a collection of over 30 million items. The upper floor exhibits minerals, gems and meteorites – the largest such display in the world – alongside dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric art; highlights include the Venus of Willendorf, a Diplodocus skeleton, a giant 117 kg topaz and a collection of jewellery donated by Maria Theresa I. The first floor displays a wide variety of animal species, from protozoa to mammals, in a collection more than 200 years old featuring extinct or endangered specimens. Most of the museum offers signage and explanations in German and English. The building itself, its decoration, furnishings and the original historic display cases are part of the visitable value, and the historical presentation of the collections is considered almost unique in the world. The museum also houses the Narrenturm with permanent exhibitions such as the moulage collection, and offers events such as 'Meet a Scientist' and activities for children.

Things to do at Natural History Museum Vienna: 13 missions

• Visit the Natural History Museum ViennaVisit the Natural History Museum Vienna in Vienna and get to know the place in person.
• Explore Room 5: MeteoritesVisit Room 5, dedicated to meteorites.
• Explore the MicrotheaterDiscover the fascinating realm of the Earth's smallest organisms in the Microtheater, Room 21.
• See the systematic mineral displayView the systematic mineral display in the museum's first rooms.
• Explore Rooms 14–15: AnthropologyWalk through the rooms dedicated to anthropology at the Natural History Museum Vienna.
• See the giant 117 kg topazView the giant 117 kg topaz, one of the museum's highlights.
• View The Cycle of LifeAdmire Hans Canon's ceiling fresco, The Cycle of Life, as a highlight.
• See the Diplodocus skeletonView the Diplodocus skeleton, one of the museum's highlights.
• See the Venus of WillendorfView the Venus of Willendorf, one of the museum's highlights.
• Explore Rooms 11–13: PrehistoryVisit the rooms presenting prehistory at the Natural History Museum Vienna.
• View the gem and precious stone collectionAdmire the gem and precious stone collection at the Natural History Museum Vienna.
• Explore Rooms 1–4: Mineralogy and PetrologyWalk through Rooms 1–4, dedicated to mineralogy and petrology.
• Explore Rooms 6–10: PalaeontologyWalk through the rooms dedicated to palaeontology at the Natural History Museum Vienna.

Near Natural History Museum Vienna