Funeral Museum Vienna, Folk museum and cultural center in Simmering, Austria.
The Funeral Museum Vienna is a folk museum in the Simmering district of Vienna, dedicated to burial customs and mourning rituals from across the city's history. It brings together hearses, coffins, pallbearer clothing, mourning wreaths, and other objects from the funeral trade across different periods.
The museum opened in 1967 to preserve objects from the Viennese funeral trade, which had changed considerably since the 18th century. In 1987 the architect Wittigo Keller gave the exhibition a new layout, shaping the presentation visitors see today.
The collection shows how death in Vienna was once a public and social event, with rituals that varied depending on a person's standing in society. Items like coffin decorations and mourning attire make those differences visible in a direct and concrete way.
The museum sits just next to Vienna's Central Cemetery in Simmering and is easy to reach by public transport. It is generally open on weekdays, so checking the hours before you go will help you plan your visit without surprises.
The museum holds a folding coffin from 1784 that Emperor Joseph II introduced to cut costs, but the idea was abandoned after just six months. The coffin has a hinged base that opens to drop the body into the grave, allowing the coffin itself to be reused.
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