In my latest frugal post, I mentioned how I always check whether museums offer free admission certain days of the week/month. Over the years we’ve come across a variety of options (some are free on Mondays, others run pay-what-you-can evenings) but the most common one I see is free or discounted entry on the first or last Sunday of the month.
In this case, the two museums we visited (and there are at least a dozen more in Vienna with the same policy) were free the first Sunday of each month.
I was a bit skeptical they’d be open on Easter Sunday, but they were.
Our first stop of the day was the Beethoven Museum. I’d been on the fence about visiting, but after Jenny talked about her experience, I was convinced. The entry fee isn’t exorbitant on regular days (€8 for adults), but I’ll gladly save the money.
It was an absolutely stunning day. Not a cloud in the sky, bright sunshine, and people dressed in their Easter finery heading to church (we live streamed our home church service later in the day).
I loved this tile in front of the museum. Very fitting!
It was a simple but really interesting museum. It wasn’t overly crowded, and it was fascinating to learn about Beethoven in a place where he actually spent time. I think he lived at this apartment for about 9 years (which is crazy, because he lived in over 35 different places across Vienna).
I knew Beethoven went deaf, but the museum portrayed his health decline/mental despair in a very moving way. I thought the displays did a great job of making it feel real. One of the interactive exhibits allowed you to experience his hearing loss over time until the music was so muffled it was almost unintelligible. As someone who dedicated their life to composing, you can see why it would be so devastating!
This structure in the outside garden was made out of wood and was playing… Beethoven’s music, of course!
A lock of his hair. I always find that mildly creepy.
Apparently he was very particular about his coffee and counted out EXACTLY 60 beans each morning.
I’m doing the museum a disservice with my lack of description and pictures, but it was a really great visit if you’re interested in Beethoven’s life and work. I appreciated how interactive it felt, and thought the layout of having different rooms cover different aspects of his life and career was well organized. If you don’t like classical music or Beethoven, it might be a bit of a snooze fest.
This was the key to his casket. Apparently 10,000 people (about one-fifth of the city’s population at the time) came out to pay their last respects.
One last look at the treble clef tile!
And… later that afternoon, we went to Central Cemetery and saw his gravesite.
John and Belle actually walked 10 km from the downtown core to get to Central Cemetery.
Indy and I were a bit lazier and opted to take public transit to visit Virgilkapelle (before continuing on to meet them at the cemetery).
This chapel is over 800 years old, but it was only rediscovered in the 1970s when they were building the subway station at Stephansplatz. So you actually access the ruins from inside the station which is unusual!
It’s very small and a bit underwhelming. I wouldn’t necessarily pay to see it (though it’s only €5.00 for an adult ticket), but I happily toured it for free 😉
In addition to the cool vaulted ceilings, there were some display cases with archaeological artifacts.
There are quite a few other free (mostly niche—like the Prater Museum, on site at Prater, and the Clock Museum) spots you can visit on the first Sunday of the month, so if you happen to be in Vienna at that time of the month, it’s definitely worth checking out the list and taking advantage of some free culture!
Your turn:
- Do you enjoy classical music?
- Did you keep locks of hair or baby teeth from when your kids were little?
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That 800 year old church is very cool, though not spectacular and fancy. I would definitely visit it. And Beethoven! Wow, very cool. Losing your hearing would be terrifying, and even more for a composer or musician. I love how they humanized it.
I have hair from Maya’s first haircut, and some teeth too I think. Weird, yeah. I have some of Mulder’s hair too.
Yes, I thought the museum did a great job of really making the visitors “feel” for Beethoven. It made the whole experience feel more impactful on an emotional level.
I think I might have a lock of Belle’s hair from her first haircut (maybe? in a baby book)… and the kids have kept some of their teeth which definitely grosses me out!
Lovely- the ruins inside the station would be my choice!
I did save some hair from kids’ first haircut- but then I think I threw the locks out. Same for teeth. I did also save some fur from one of my cats- they had to shave off some to give her drugs att her last vet visit, and we grabbed it. And then I threw it away a few weeks later. I’m just not sentimental enough.
I am fairly sentimental, but more in terms of photos and memories, not things. I have a few objects that I love but the rest I hold on to very loosely!
Glad you liked the museum! I can see how it wouldn’t be interesting if you didn’t like classical music, but since I do it was a must-see for me. I remember learning that Beethoven knew he was going deaf while he was composing his second symphony- so early!
I have some of my kids baby teeth… I don’t think I saved any of their hair though. It’s so tempting to save these things, but then what are you going to do with them? We’ll just have to throw those teeth away someday.
It was such a great museum, so thanks for the rec.
I’m not a huge fan of classical music although I listen occasionally. I was a music major for a while in college and enjoyed music history so the Beethoven museum is one I’d want to visit.
I had my bottom canine baby teeth pulled when I was kid and the dentist gave them to us in a little paper sleeve. It sat onto of the (console) TV between the two halves of the VCR for several years. Maybe it finally got thrown out when the TV was replaced in the mid-90s.
Something about teeth just… weirds me out. I wonder if my mom has a little bag with my baby teeth somewhere. I’m hoping not!