Palais Schönborn includes the Museum für Volkskunde and is located in Josefstadt, the eighth district of Vienna. This beautiful Baroque palace houses excellent works of art from several of Europe's most significant artists.

This is a very interesting and eclectic place to visit. It was formed in 1963 by a group of individuals that were actually part of the resistance movement in Austria during the time of the Third Reich. The colleagues of these folks were part of the two thousand seven hundred individuals that were executed by the German Gestapo during the war. In a secondary way, the location also covers the efforts of the resistance movement during the Fascist rule of Austria.

There is also a part of the building which houses a research and archive wing for the place. This research facility still keeps an eye on zealous right wing political organizations in Germany. At the entrance to the museum is also a famous fountain built by Georg Donner. It is a classic example of Baroque art. Donner designed several others pieces in the area as well.

The museum can be quite graphic at times, and was designed that way by intention. The establishment recommends that children under the age of 11 not view the exhibits located within. You can call ahead for a time to get a guided tour. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. It takes about an hour to tour it, and the price is free.

The Uhrenmuseum is the famous Viennese home of clocks, and they have every kind of imaginable display of them. It is a very unique place, in that there are not a lot of other places like it in all of Europe. The location is inside an old Viennese home that has part of its foundation still intact from the Middle Ages. It is also located in a very historical section of town.

The variety is time pieces on display here is amazing. There are even pieces that chime the hour all over the facility. Examples of time keeping devices are represented here from as far back as the Fifteenth Century. The museum goes beyond just variety though, as they try to actually share the history of how our clocks have evolved over the course of time.

Two famous private collections are also on display here. You can see the display from Rudolph Kaftan, who was the first curator of the institution, to the unmatched exhibit owned by the famous author Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach. The location is open every day of the week but Monday, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. During the Christmas vacation week, the hours of closing are reduced to 2:00 p.m.

The Jewish Museum is part of the Wien complex located in places all across Vienna. It is a fairly new location, having been opened in 1988. Don’t let that fool you, though, as there is plenty to see here.

The location depicts the life of the Jewish people of Austria, with special attention to the culture and sociological aspects of this group. You can find history here that dates back to the middle ages. The biggest collections housed here are the Jewish Community of Vienna exhibit, the private holdings in the Sussmann display, and the world famous Stern collection of Jewish artifacts and pieces. Recently, the Antisemitica display owned by Martin Schlaff has also been given to the facility, so it also now has a prominent showing here.

From a historical perspective, there is a part of the old street from the Jewish sector of town, which dates to 1421, which has been unearthed and placed on display here. You can actually see part of the foundations of the old synagogue on display in this section of the grounds, which measures approximately 5 square meters. It adds an unusual element to the otherwise typical displays of curia.

The facility is open to the general public from Sunday through Friday of each week, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays.

The location is a cathedral and official museum for the Diocese of Vienna. It was created in 1933 and has developed quite the reputation for being one of the best exhibit formats in all the city. The location has antiques and displays that represent over a thousand years of Roman Catholic history in the country. The largest display here is the St. Stephen’s Cathedral Collection, which is a display of sacred works. The portrait of Duke Rudolf IV also has a home in this place. It is regarded to be the oldest work of its kind anywhere in Western Europe.

The can also find a great collection of Baroque pieces here as well. Much of the art is very controversial, and would have been considered quite outrageous in the day. Some of the finest sculptures to be found in Vienna also have a home here. So there is something here to fascinate just about any fan of fine religious artwork.

For the bizarre, you can visit the display which reportedly holds a piece of the Virgin Mary’s belt. In like fashion, a piece of St. Stephen’s skull is also on display, as one of the church’s relics.

The museum and cathedral are open on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. They are also open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The institution is closed on major holidays.

The Urania is an observatory located in Vienna. But to call it just that would be to miss the truly eclectic nature of this place. Over the years, it has branched into a place that holds educational events and lectures, has a restaurant and bar, and also serves as, of all things, a puppet theater. That is quite the mix of things for one small place.

The structure is done in an art nouveau style. The designer was Max Fabiani, who studied under the famous Otto Wagner. It sits very close to the Wien River, in a very scenic part of town. The institution officially opened for business in 1910. The building was named after the famous muse of astronomy.

During the second world war, the building was severely damaged, and the observatory was rendered completely useless. Thanks to some generous patrons, however the location was reopened for business in 1957. The puppet theater has become one of the most famous parts of the place now.

The Urania is open from noon until 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday from April until September of each year. For the remaining months, it is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

The Zeiss Planetarium, named after the famous Austrian lens maker, was the very first building of its kind in Austria. In the early days, the whole structure was made of wood. In 1928, the original location was moved to Prater, and the place redesigned. The building ended up suffering damage during World War II, but the keepers had the foresight to move the major equipment out ahead of time.

After the war, a new location was constructed in the Kaisergarten. Over the years, improvements have been made including the installation of a Mark IX laser projector. (ZUPLIP). This institution also works closely on development and planning with the Urania Observatory.

The dome of the structure sports a lens that measures 20 meters in diameter. Approximately 200 people can be in the observation deck at one time, making it a very popular place to go and view the stars.

Hours of Operation for the Zeiss are as follows:

Tuesdays & Thursdays: 8:30 a.m. until noon and 1:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m. until noon and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Fridays: 3.00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Weekends and Holidays: 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.