Third Man Museum — Attraction in Vienna

You MUST visit this amazing museum I was in Vienna with my son last week and was thrilled when I discovered that this museum exists, it is a film lover's dream and doesn't disappoint.

The Third Man museum is open from 2-6pm on Saturdays. There are lots of original props, room sets and items relating to the film together with pictures and articles from post-war Vienna. These provided a new dimension as I saw the reality of that time and how it tied in with the film. Previously I had seen the film as a story, and now I view it as social commentary.

The museum is privately owned and funded by Gerhard Strassgschwandtner and Karin Hofler. They search all over the world for pieces to add to their collection and the placement of the pieces follow the same route as the film. It is a true homage. Gerhard and Karin are delightful people and we were able to spend a little time talking with them about the museum and the genre in general.

I love learning and I gained lots of new knowledge from talking to them. Gerhard is the Third Man oracle and his enthusiasm is infectious. This was the highlight of my holiday and I know that we'll be returning the next time we're in Vienna. I left the museum walking on air from the experience plus the bonus of talking to like-minded people. Thank you Gerhard and Karin.

Do not miss the opportunity to visit this great museum when you're in Vienna. Be sure to comment here and on social media as this little museum deserves a wider audience. After your visit, go to Prater for a ride on the famous Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel that appears...

“Wow! Amazing view of Vienna's history through this obsessive museum!”

The Museum is crazy good, obviously curated by people who love Vienna and film. A friend had recommended this if I ever got to Vienna and boy was it worth it. It helps to have seen The Third Man before you go, but it isn't a deal breaker - and there is a cinema in Vienna that screens it several times a week, so you can check both things off your bucket list if you want.

They give tours in several languages and I got an english one which increased the museum experience by several thousand percent. The film is the jumping off point for a view of pre and post war Vienna, the business of filmmaking and the cultural impact that one film had as it was distributed around the globe. The music, the technology, the filmic process are all explored with thousands of artifacts and mini media installations. Simply amazing.

The tour guide confessed that Austrians made only a tiny percentage of the museum going audience - which is sad because with all the history in this town, no one is dealing with this period from 1935-1955 in such an accessible way. It is well worth checking the website and getting a tour. Everyone in our group who thought they know something walked away confessing they had no idea what had happened here in that period. Like a photograph is a frozen moment in time, this museum allows you to see a moment in history that is scarcely known and grossly under...

OK so I visited the Museum on September 16th at about 2:30 pm, 2023. I was extremely pleased with what I got for my admission of 11Euros. There is a lot here to see. The first section is mostly photos from the film itself, all the stars, their background and some photos from their personal lives. Each actor is given appropriate space with, of course, heavier emphasis given to the 3 or 4 main actors. There is a separate section devoted just to Wells. In the second section of the Museum they showed a very short 2 minute clip of the film with the original 1936 Zeiss camera used in the making of the film or a similar camera of the time. There was too a section given to the famous Anton Karas, who played the famous zither music throughout the film. I found out in section 3 of the museum that the famous ferris wheel scene was done in a studio in London. It broke my heart, but maybe I should have known this. The 3rd part had a lot of articles and photos of Vienna leading up to and through the second world war. The occupation was well represented. I could have spent more than 75 minutes there, but I as mentioned I thought it was well worth the price of admission, so I will return. I thank the staff who were all pleasant and professional. That's my...