This New Museum in Salzburg Is a Must-Visit for Sound of Music Lovers

Salzburg and The Sound of Music are easily two of my favorite things. When I first visited the charming Austrian town in 2024, I did a Sound of Music bus and bike tour in 24 hours. So when I heard the new Sound of Music Museum opened right before my most recent trip to Salzburg, I immediately added it to my itinerary. If you’re even the slightest bit of a fan, here’s why you’ll want to add it to yours, too.

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About the Sound of Music Museum in Salzburg

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The Sound of Music Salzburg Museum opened on September 19, 2026. Located on the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace and just steps from the Sound of Music gazebo, the museum is housed inside the Jäger- und Tierwärterhaus building.

If you were expecting a museum solely dedicated to the film, you would be wrong. The Sound of Music Museum is a celebration of the movie and musical as well as the von Trapp family.

Ground Floor: The Sound of Music Film and Musical

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The best way to describe the ground floor of the Sound of Music Museum is part timeline, part time capsule and part sing-along.

As soon as you walk through the museum’s doors, one of the many songs from “The Sound of Music” fills the room. If you’re like me, you’ll have to fight the urge to dance and sing.

And if you’re also like me, you’ll make a beeline to the dress worn by Liesl that’s on display in the main room.

Opposite a replica of the famous gazebo is a multi-paneled wall that traces the history of the real von Trapp family through the Broadway production and the making of The Sound of Music film. The wall is dotted with vitrines that hold artifacts and keepsakes, like Georg von Trapp’s whistle, an original copy of the script and Gretl’s school uniform.

The one item on display that made me kind of scratch my head was a keychain given to the film crew by director Robert Wise.

There’s also an entire room dedicated to what looks like every single collectible made for the Sound of Music film. Posters and records and snowglobes and plates, those are just some of the museum’s favorite things.

Top Floor: The von Trapp Family

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After singing your “Do Re Mi”s, you’ll head upstairs to learn about Georg, Maria and the Trapp Family Singers. I used the back staircase, but I still don’t know if I was supposed to use it.

One room is dedicated to Georg and Maria, their story and how they emigrated to the United States in 1938. (Spoiler alert: it did not involve a dramatic escape to Switzerland. Some of my favorite things on display were Maria’s edelweiss pin, suitcase and guitar.)

The second room is all about the Trapp Family Singers and the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.

Overall, I thought the museum did a really good job of highlighting facts vs Hollywood fiction.

The Sound of Music Gazebo

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The grand finale of the Sound of Music Museum is the famous “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” gazebo. Thanks to uncoordinated tourists of years past, you can’t actually go inside it. But you still pose for pictures in front of it.

Even if you don’t go to the Sound of Music Museum, or you’re in Salzburg while it’s temporarily closed, the gazebo is free to visit.

Sound of Music Museum FAQs

Still have questions about the Sound of Music Museum in Salzburg? I have answers!

How do you get to the Sound of Music Museum?

Getting to the Sound of Music Museum in Salzburg is easy. Just take Bus 25 from Altstadt or Neustadt to the Schloss Hellbrunn stop. I got on at the Rathaus stop, and the ride took about 20 minutes. Bus 25 runs about every 15–20 minutes during the week and every 30 minutes on the weekend.

To get back to Altstadt or Neustadt, the return bus stop is across the street from where you’re dropped off. On the return trip, I got off at Mozartsteig and walked over the Mozart Bridge to get back to Altstadt.

If you have the Guest Mobility Card or the Salzburg Card, the bus fare is included.

How much time do you need at the Sound of Music Museum?

During my visit, I spent around 35 minutes inside and another 10 minutes outside at the Sound of Music gazebo. I probably could have spent more time inside, but I was with my boyfriend who hasn’t seen the film. (Yes, I know. I still gasp out loud.) That being said, he did enjoy the museum as well.

When will the Sound of Music Museum reopen?

The Sound of Music Museum is scheduled to reopen on March 20, 2027. If you’re planning to visit Salzburg around that time, check the official website for the latest opening information.

What’s nearby the Sound of Music Museum?

The Sound of Music Museum is located a short 2–3-minute walk from Hellbrunn Palace and the famous trick fountains. The Salzburg Zoo is also within walking distance.

Hellbrunn Palace and the trick fountains, the Salzburg Zoo and the Sound of Music Museum are included with the Salzburg Card, making it easy to combine several activities during your visit.

I visited Schloss Hellbrunn afterwards and really enjoyed the trick fountains. You will get wet, so unless you want to walk around the Sound of Music Museum with squishy shoes and damp clothing, save it for after.

I Have Confidence You Should Visit the Sound of Music Museum

There are many ways to get your Sound of Music fix in Salzburg, but the Sound of Music Museum pulls it all together. And even if you’ve been to Salzburg before, this museum offers a fresh way to experience the story.

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