Museum Carnuntinum
Since June 30, 2022 the museum presents a new exhibition: Carnuntum - Weltstadt am Donaulimes. On the basis of exhibits from the collections of the province of Lower Austria, some of which have never been shown before, the history of the city, but also its social life, will be impressively portrayed.
The Museum Carnuntinum is thus the ideal starting point for a journey of discovery through the Roman city of Carnuntum.
History of the Museum Carnuntinum
The Carnuntinum Museum is a must for every visit to Carnuntum. It was built by Friedrich Ohmann and August Kirstein, two of the most respected architects of the late Austro-Hungarian Empire, and opened in 1904 by Emperor Franz Josef I himself. Built in the spirit of historicism in the style of a Roman country villa, the design takes up typical architectural elements from the Roman provinces. The Museum Carnuntinum thus fits seamlessly into the circle of large museum buildings on Vienna's Ringstrasse.
The construction of the museum was financed by the Society of Friends of Carnuntum from private funds. Among the sponsors and donors at that time were important representatives of the imperial family, the nobility, the upper middle classes, science and business. With the construction of the museum, the Society of Friends of Carnuntum pursued the goal of bringing together in one place the extensive collection from the first excavations in Carnuntum. The Museum Carnuntinum is thus the first excavation museum in Austria and today displays a large part of the provincial collections of Lower Austria on ancient Carnuntum.