Haus der Natur — Attraction in Salzburg

This is the most comprehensive children's museums that we have visited. We had initially given this a half day, by did not see all so came back for a second visit, as ten year old enjoyed it so much. There are 4floors of activities in the Haus der Natur and another three floors in the adjoining science centre. There is a dinosaur exhibit, a beautiful aquarium. A hugely comprehensive geology section (which our ten year old loved), a space section which is partially interactive, an interactive Doppler section, a section about European animals, an older section about African animals, a section on the Salzach River, a reptile zoo with a large snake collection, a human body section showing everything from heart surgery performance to sexuallity and human reproduction. The latter section is not subtle, but it is possible to skip the room if your children are not ready for it. The Science Centre is fully interactive and allows children to explore everything from energy usage and climate change to the science of music to the challenges faced by wheelchair users, to operating a hydrolic lift. There was a very enjoyable live physics demonstration on when we visited. It was about a half an hour and involved the use of dry ice which my son enjoyed despite his not understanding much German. There is a nice restaurant and a gift shop too. The older exhibits had only German explanations but the newer and more interactive stuff was multilingual. Well worth a whole day visit with children. Very reasonable family entry fee and free entry with...

Haus der Natur is truly the best of the best—an amazing museum and easily one of the highlights of Salzburg. Each floor offers something completely different, with countless fascinating exhibitions that make you want to spend hours exploring. From rare fish and Nemo :) in the aquarium to precious stones from around the world, from the Mars exhibition to the story of animal evolution—every corner holds something exciting to discover.

One of the most enjoyable parts is the interactive sections, where you can explore maps and even try some scientific experiments and discoveries yourself. It makes the whole experience not just educational but also fun and hands-on.

The Salzburg Card includes free entry here, which makes the visit even more convenient and valuable. My advice: plan enough time—at least 3–4 hours, or even better, come in the morning and enjoy it until closing. You’ll be more than satisfied, as the variety is incredible and every exhibit is worth careful attention.

For me, what makes Haus der Natur so special is that it combines science, history, and fun in one place—it’s inspiring for adults and fascinating for kids, making it an absolute must-visit...

A large and engaging museum spread over five floors, perfect for adults and children aged 7+ or even 10+. However, it might be a bit overwhelming and less interesting for younger kids.

A few downsides to keep in mind:

There are virtually no benches or resting spots throughout the museum, which makes the visit quite tiring and inconvenient.

Eating your own snacks (like a cookie or an apple) is not allowed anywhere except for a designated rest area — which we happened to find by chance on the upper floors.

There is a restaurant, but even by Austrian standards, the prices are quite high.

On the fifth floor, there is a section dedicated to sexual development, including real video footage of childbirth. Unfortunately, this area is not clearly marked, so you may end up there unexpectedly with a younger child, which can be an unpleasant surprise.

The museum organizers could definitely improve the visitor experience by clearly indicating where rest areas are located, properly marking the sexual education zone, adding seating throughout the museum, and improving signage for toilets — several people asked us where they were, as the signs only appear right next to...