Haus der Musik

What Haus der Musik does

Haus der Musik is a Vienna-based interactive sound museum (Klangmuseum) operating since June 2000 across four floors and over 1,000 square meters of exhibition space at Seilerstätte 30 — the historic Palais where Otto Nicolai founded the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in 1842. The museum is operated by Haus der Musik Museum GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wien Holding, the municipal holding company of the City of Vienna. Its core product combines physical interactive installations (Virtual Conductor, Sonotopia sound world, Stairplay musical staircase, Polyphon Harmonia Mundi with 672 pulsar-sound drawers, Waltz Dice Game) with a multilingual smartphone audio guide available in ten languages, and it serves approximately 270,000 visitors per year — primarily tourists from Austria, Germany, and the USA, together with school groups, families, and music enthusiasts.

The business model blends transactional and recurring revenue streams: museum admissions (€19 adult, €15 reduced, €8 child, €39 family, €13 group), an annual membercard subscription at €59, multiple concert series (Live On Stage for emerging bands at ~€25, KLASSIK COOL! children's concerts at €12–€16, Viennese Classical Masters chamber concerts), premium event venue rentals at the rooftop overlooking St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Veranstaltungssaal, and the glass-covered Innenhof, guided tours at €200/hour, museum shop sales, and international licensing royalties from concept exports (Mexico 2015–2022, China 2024–). Distribution combines direct on-site ticketing, the Wien-Ticket online platform, the Vienna E-Pass tourism bundle, Mozarthaus Vienna cross-promotion, and Österreich Werbung international campaigns across five priority markets.

The institution is governed by a lean team of 16 employees led by Director Simon K. Posch (since 2003), with Honorary President Zubin Mehta providing cultural legitimacy, and benefits from institutional backing by Wien Holding plus strategic partnerships with the Vienna Philharmonic, Lang Lang International Music Foundation, and Radio Klassik Stephansdom. The museum celebrated its 25th anniversary in June 2025 with cumulative attendance exceeding 5.5 million visitors, and continues an exhibition-refresh cadence evidenced by the late-2025 Polyphon Harmonia Mundi installation and Mozart für Babys infant concert series.

Name

Haus der Musik

Legal name

Haus der Musik Museum GmbH

Website

https://hdm.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Haus der Musik is a Vienna-based interactive sound museum occupying the historic Palais where the Vienna Philharmonic was founded in 1842, operated by municipal holding company Wien Holding, serving roughly 270,000 tourists, school groups, and families per year through four floors of exhibits, concerts, and event venue rentals, with international concept licensing in China and a prior Mexican operation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interactive Sound Museum & Cultural Venue

NAICS

Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Interactive sound museum
• Music education exhibits
• Cultural venue rental
• Live concert programming
• Audio guide tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Tickets: Entry fees for the interactive sound museum with four floors of exhibits covering Vienna Philharmonic, Sonotopia sound world, Viennese Classical Masters, and Virtual Conductor
2. Concert Revenue: Live music events including Live On Stage series (approximately 12 concerts/year featuring emerging bands), Viennese Classical Masters chamber concerts, and Viennese Classical Masters ensemble performances
3. Event Location Rental: Premium event venue rental for corporate events, weddings, conferences, concerts with panoramic views of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Venues include rooftop (Dachgeschoss), event hall (Veranstaltungssaal), and glass-covered courtyard (Innenhof)
4. Museum Shop: Retail sales of musical souvenirs, gifts, and memorabilia including Clong posters, branded merchandise, and musical instruments/gadgets
5. Annual Membership Cards: Haus der Musik Membercard providing 365-day museum access, discounted concert tickets, reduced companion rates, and shop discounts for €59 annually
6. Guided Tours: Professional guide services for adults, school groups, kindergartens, and special occasions. Guide fee of €200/hour for groups up to 25 people plus admission
7. International Licensing: Licensing of museum concept and installations to international locations - operated Casa de la Música de Viena en Puebla (Mexico, 2015-2022) and currently partnered with sound museum in China opened 2024

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Haus der Musik operates an interactive sound museum (Klangmuseum) across four floors in Vienna's historic Palais at Seilerstätte 30, combining hands-on exhibits with digital/audio installations covering the Vienna Philharmonic Museum, Sonotopia sound phenomena, Viennese Classical Masters exhibition, and Virtual Conductor experience. Beyond museum admissions, it sells concert tickets (Live on Stage, KLASSIK COOL!, Viennese Classical Masters), rents premium event venues, provides guided tours, runs a museum shop, and licenses its museum concept internationally.

Product overview

Haus der Musik is an interactive sound museum (Klangmuseum) in Vienna offering a multi-floor experience across four levels. The museum combines physical interactive installations with digital elements, featuring the Museum of the Wiener Philharmoniker (Floor 1), Sonotopia sound exploration (Floor 2), Viennese Classical Masters exhibition with dedicated composer rooms (Floor 3), and the Virtual Conductor experience (Floor 4). The venue also operates as an event location with multiple premium spaces, hosts Live on Stage and KLASSIK COOL! concert series, operates a museum shop, and provides multilingual audio guides and pedagogical materials for educational visits. The company is operated by Wien Holding and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sonotopia: Interactive sound world exhibition on the second floor of the museum, featuring sound phenomena and experiments.
• Live On Stage
• KLASSIK COOL!
• Viennese Classical Masters
• Polyphon Harmonia Mundi

Products and services

• Interactive Sound Museum (Klangmuseum) Four-floor interactive museum exploring sound phenomena, musical history, and the Vienna Philharmonic through hands-on exhibits and digital installations. Designed for tourists, families, and school groups.
• Live on Stage Concert Series Concert series featuring emerging bands performing live music in Vienna. Tickets at €25 standard or €10 with Membercard. Curated by Klaus Totzler.
• KLASSIK COOL! Children's Concerts Interactive music education concerts for children and families, featuring a series for babies (0-1.5 years), toddlers, and families with classical compositions in accessible formats.
• Viennese Classical Masters Concert Intimate string quartet concerts featuring classical works by Viennese composers, performed by the Wiener Klassik Ensemble.
• Marko Simsa Children's Concert Festival Concert festival featuring musician and music educator Marko Simsa performing diverse programs from Mozart to Klezmer and Oriental rhythms for children and families.
• Event Locations Premium event venue rental for corporate events, weddings, conferences, and press conferences with panoramic views of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Includes optional museum access.
• Museum Shop Retail shop on floor 4 offering musical souvenirs, gifts with sound elements, special items from Vienna's music world, and curated giveaway selections for events.
• Guided Tours Professional guided tours for adults, school groups, kindergartens, and special occasions, including behind-the-scenes stories and additional insights. €200/hour for groups up to 25 people plus admission.
• Smartphone Audio Guide Multilingual smartphone audio guide available in 10 languages (German, English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Czech, Hungarian) with versions for children and adults.
• Annual Membership Card (HdM Membercard) Annual subscription offering 365 days of museum entry, discounted Live on Stage tickets, 50% discount for accompanying persons, and 10% shop discount. Available for €59 at museum cash desk.
• International Museum Concept Licensing Licensing of the Haus der Musik interactive museum concept and installations to international operators under Casa de la Música de Viena en Puebla (Mexico, 2015-2022) and a sound museum in China (opened 2024).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5.5 million visitors since opening in June 2000
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Mozarthaus ViennaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Combined ticket partnership offering discounted joint admission to both Mozart-related Vienna museums. Allows visitors to experience both HdM's sound museum and Mozarthaus Vienna at reduced combined price.
• Wien-TicketcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Official online ticketing partner for concert and museum tickets. Provides print-at-home, postal delivery, and pickup services. Essential distribution channel for visitors booking in advance.
• Vienna E-PassminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Tourism pass partnership providing free museum and concert admission to Vienna E-Pass holders, integrating HdM into Vienna visitor packages.
• Klaus Totzler / Blue Bird ViennaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Concert curator for Live On Stage series, responsible for selecting and booking emerging bands and artists for HdM's approximately 12 annual concerts.
• Lang Lang International Music FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Official partner and ambassador for music education initiatives. Joint development of Stairplay musical staircase. Foundation aims to bring music access to children globally, with HdM helping provide instruments to Austrian schools.
• China Sound Museum PartnershipflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation starting 2023 with licensed sound museum in China, opened 2024. Extension of HdM's international licensing model following successful Mexican operation.
• Casa de la Música de Viena en Puebla (Mexico)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2015Licensed museum based on HdM concept opened January 13, 2015 in Puebla, Mexico. Operated with same installations and core philosophy until 2022.
• Radio Klassik StephansdomcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Long-term media cooperation with annual Thementag (theme day) dedicated to HdM programming. Includes interviews with director, guided tour features, and regular coverage of exhibitions and concerts. Partnership strengthens visibility among classical music audiences.
• Wien HoldingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Parent company and operator of Haus der Musik since 2005 (5 years after opening). Wien Holding is a municipal holding company managing Vienna's cultural and business enterprises. Provides institutional backing, resources, and strategic direction.
• Vienna Philharmonic OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000World-famous orchestra founded in this building in 1842 by Otto Nicolai. HdM houses the Vienna Philharmonic Museum with historical archives and exclusive exhibits. Zubin Mehta serves as honorary president of HdM.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Wien Museum: City of Vienna's municipal museum network operated by similar public-sector structure to Wien Holding. Comparable as a Vienna municipal cultural institution serving similar local and tourist audiences, though broader in historical scope.
• Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera): Vienna's premier classical music performance venue. Comparable as a Vienna-based classical music destination competing for concert-going tourists and music enthusiasts, though focused on live opera performance rather than interactive music education.

Direct peers

• The Musical Museum (London): London-based museum dedicated to mechanical musical instruments with interactive demonstrations. Comparable as a smaller specialty music museum with hands-on exhibits targeting similar family and tourist audiences.
• Mozarthaus Vienna: Vienna's interactive Mozart residence museum and official partner for Haus der Musik's combination tickets. Directly comparable as a Vienna-based classical music heritage museum targeting similar tourist and school group segments.
• Cité de la Musique - Philharmonie de Paris: Paris-based interactive music museum and concert complex offering sound exhibits, music history displays, and orchestral performances. Closest international comparable in scale, scope, and educational music mission to Haus der Musik.
• Musical Instruments Museum (Brussels - MIM): Belgian music museum housed in a historic building with extensive instrument collections and interactive exhibits. Comparable as a European specialty music museum with similar tourist-driven operating model.
• Musical Instrument Museum (MIM Phoenix): Global music museum with interactive galleries showcasing instruments and musical cultures worldwide. Comparable interactive museum concept with similar audio-guide-based visitor experience and music education mission.

Broad incumbents

• Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien: Vienna's flagship art museum and primary competitor for tourist time, ticket spend, and Österreich Werbung marketing attention. Broad incumbent in the Vienna cultural attractions space where HdM competes for visitors.
• Madame Tussauds: Global chain of interactive, photo-friendly visitor attractions. Comparable in interactive exhibit design and tourist demographic targeting, though different in subject matter and ownership model.
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Music heritage museum and major tourist attraction in Cleveland. Comparable as an interactive music museum but focused on popular music history rather than classical, with substantially larger scale and visitor volumes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hausdermusik
• Facebookfacebook.com/hausdermusik
• Instagraminstagram.com/hausdermusik_vienna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haus-der-musik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haus der Musik