Leisure Pursuits In Vienna:

1. HOUSE OF MUSIC IN VIENNA:

If you are suddenly drawn to the sublime and beautiful in the musical capital of Europe (which is quite natural), we advise you to go straight to the House of Music (Haus der Musik). Opened in a restored building that once belonged to Archduke Karl himself, the museum is always full of enthusiastic visitors. And most of them are children. It is worth noting that the number of visitors to the museum is growing every month, which indicates the high popularity of the House of Music.

A visit to the Haus der Musik captivates young music lovers literally right away. Already in the courtyard of the museum, children are greeted by musical computer attractions. They begin an endless series of intellectual entertainment that will appeal not only to children, but also to adults. Would you like to become the greatest and most powerful, the thunderstorm and beacon of any orchestra – a conductor?

With the help of an electronic baton, you can lead the Vienna Orchestra itself for a few minutes! Be prepared for both applause and… tomatoes – if your debut is unsuccessful, the musicians will tell you everything they think about your conducting. The five-story House of Music is full of unusual surprises and original exhibits. Here you will introduce your children to a variety of musical instruments that the little ones will be able to touch with their own hands, enjoy an exhibition dedicated to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, immerse yourself in the “Sonosphere” and visit the chamber hall “Sea of ​​Voices”, as well as the hall “Forest of Consciousness”, where you can make any surface sound with one movement of your hand. Particularly popular among the young guests of the Vienna House of Music are the interactive stands, where you can conduct unusual sound experiments. This is a real practical music lesson, where different sound waves and their frequencies are clearly shown, where you can learn what high and low notes are. You can’t think of a better lesson for children interested in music! The third floor of the museum features stands dedicated to famous musicians who were closely connected with Vienna.

The House of Music’s conference room invites its visitors to regular children’s lectures and concerts. Their repertoire is varied and wide: from the classics “Mozart for Children” to fun interactive performances. Every Tuesday during the summer holidays, interesting museum tours are held with special discounts for schoolchildren. There is not a single guide in the Haus der Musik, but this is not a problem for Russian-speaking tourists. At the entrance, visitors are given a Russified audio guide. Since the collection of this magical interactive Vienna museum is becoming richer and richer every year, we recommend planning a few hours for its visit.

And some more useful information:

• The Haus der Musik also hosts various concerts, so keep an eye out for the schedule.
• All information displays, signs near the exhibits, text on the screen, etc. are in German and English.
• The museum has a free cloakroom for bags and coats (but you can make a voluntary donation). The staff always seem wonderfully friendly and helpful.
• The Haus der Musik shop is filled with all sorts of goodies. In addition to the usual souvenirs and keepsakes (CDs, books, etc.), expect to see musical socks and cufflinks as well as “musical” pasta on display.
• Some of the popular interactive booths are very popular with visitors. During high season, you may have to wait to wave your baton to the first violinist of the Vienna Philharmonic. At such times, it is advisable to arrive early or at the end of the working day.

2. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM ZOOM IN VIENNA:

Every young resident of Vienna knows about this museum with the short, telling name Zoom. Of course: a huge, 1600 sq. m. entertainment complex for children regularly changes the most interesting exhibitions. The children’s museum Zoom is located almost in the very center of the Austrian capital, in the famous Museum Quarter. Walk along the picturesque Mariahilfer Street, and you will certainly see a large bright sign at the very end: “ZOOM kindermuseum”. This is the place for you.

The adventures that await you and your children are incredible and extraordinary. The exhibition space, which houses several thematic halls, is full of the most unusual, educational, educational and exciting games and exhibits for children. All 4 exhibition zones are aimed at developing the human senses. Children in the company of adults will get acquainted with the art of creating animated films, learn how difficult it is to compose music, make complex dance steps or create masterpieces of painting.

The Ausstellung (Exhibition) hall introduces children to elements of adult life in an interactive mode. Here, children happily try on the roles of moms and dads: they build a full-fledged family with grandparents, children, spouses, pets, and also choose a profession and learn its basics. Children under 6 will love the Zoom Ocean zone, which is designed as a ship in the ocean. There are many interesting and fun attractions here, aimed at simultaneously developing all of the child’s senses. Children climb around the ship, turn steering wheels, press various buttons, and catch fish. In Zoom Studio, children are given the opportunity to try out methods and materials that often have no place in nurseries, schools, and kindergartens, usually because they take up too much space or are impractical.

Work in ZOOM Studio is process-oriented: it is not so much the finished product that is important, but the individual experience of children, accompanied by the artists of the ZOOM team. In this context, special attention is paid to the meetings, experiences, and conversations that take place during work. The ZOOM Animation Film Studio is a space at the ZOOM Children’s Museum where kids can experiment with new technologies without any prior technical knowledge and work together in teams to create animated films and sounds.

It is worth noting that all the exhibits of the children’s museum are interactive. Therefore, young residents of Vienna, as well as guests of the capital who have visited the entertainment complex, are unanimous in their opinion: ZOOM is not just an ordinary museum, but a magical, bright and colorful world of contemporary art.

IMPORTANT: The ZOOM children’s museum in Vienna has age restrictions for visiting this or that exhibit:

Do not forget to bring a change of shoes with you – at the entrance to the museum, all visitors are politely but persistently asked to take off their shoes. Each birthday boy or girl on the day of visiting the ZOOM children’s museum will receive a small memorable gift at the box office!

3. TIME TRAVEL ATTRACTION:

In historical or archaeological museums, they often talk about time travel – while the guides rely only on the vivid imagination of the visitors. But not everyone can imagine the life of a medieval city or luxurious receptions in palaces. But in Vienna, it turns out, you can already take short tours into the past and meet people who played an important role in the history of the Austrian capital. To do this, you just need to visit the Time Travel attraction. Children who value modern technology more than ancient buildings will be delighted with a multimedia journey to the times when Vienna was still called Vindobona.

Children will immediately figure out some special effects: everyone has been to 5D cinemas. But even knowing the principle of operation, the kids freeze with their mouths open when the characters in the old picture suddenly start talking. As soon as the hand of the ancient clock begins to move backwards, it is better to put aside the analysis of what is happening for a while and look at Vienna … say, through the eyes of a Roman legionary who is hurrying to line up. Or through the eyes of a rat who brought a terrible plague to the city. Or a driver who urges horses rushing along the ancient streets. Such a tour of Vienna will not seem boring to anyone! In the 5D cinema you will see films about several moments in the history of the city. And you will hardly be surprised that the opening of Viennese coffee houses and the appearance of the Sacher cake are equal in importance to the construction of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

But the attraction has other secrets. How is it that representatives of the Habsburg dynasty come out to meet you? By what magic do you watch Mozart and Strauss compose music? Why is it so scary to be in a bomb shelter, although somewhere behind the thickness of the ceiling there is a peaceful sky? Instead of racking your brains over these mysteries, just try to recognize more familiar faces and sights of Vienna. Among the celebrities you will meet Empress Sissi, Sigmund Freud, Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt. And among the most famous objects of the capital of Austria, you will certainly recognize the Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere, the Ferris wheel in the Prater Park. Note that you will be viewing the architectural masterpieces from a bird’s eye view – this is where the winged fiacre route passes. This fiacre will take you back to the present. With a 5D cinema, animatronic wax figures, various attractions and multimedia shows, as well as extraordinary sound and light effects, Time Travel Vienna makes the touching history of Vienna alive and tangible.

You will be accompanied on your journey through time by guides whose interesting and witty stories are remembered better than the dry text of a history textbook. If necessary, you can use the audio guide (it is available in ten languages, including Russian). The attraction’s organizers note that the films do not contain scenes that could frighten small children. However, we do not recommend visiting the tour dedicated to the history of World War II with small children. The attraction is very popular in Vienna. To avoid standing in line, you can book a visit by phone or on the Time Travel website.

4. THERMAL COMPLEX THERME WIEN:

The spa resort of Baden, where the “Roman Baths” are located, is very popular in Austria. However, the Baden pools look very modest compared to the pool in Vienna, located in the thermal complex Therme Wien. The Vienna Baths have 26 pools, located indoors and outdoors. The largest complex in Austria (its total area is 6,000 sq. m) is open all year round. It has created excellent opportunities for family recreation, including for parents with the smallest children.

Imagine that you are about to travel along a river, on the banks of which there are stopping stones: Stone of Peace, Stone of Adventure, Stone of Beauty, Stone of Sauna. Thermal landscapes are spread out between the stones, and in the distance you can see the Desert and the Garden of Seasons. This is how the complex is arranged. The water temperature in its pools is from +24 to +36°C. One of the thermal landscapes uses sea water. There is also a hydrogen sulphide pool in the open air.

Children, of course, are drawn to the Adventure Stone like a magnet. This is where the main attractions are located: waterfalls, fountains, water cannons, a children’s slide, diving towers. There is a pool with a greater depth, where you can even dive. It has a safe whirlpool that will make even the laziest swimmers (if children are not very confident in staying afloat, it is better to take armbands or an inflatable vest with you). In the shallow pool, the water reaches only to the ankle – children can play there. But active teenagers will not be able to pass by the long descents of X-Tube (105 m) and Black Hole (112 m).

Part of the entertainment area is located in the open air. Although it is called the Desert, there is also a pool with a slide. In addition to it, there is a volleyball court. On a warm, sunny day, we recommend visiting the Garden of the Seasons. Around the spacious outdoor pool there are sun loungers, where you can relax after swimming. For children who are wary of water activities, there is a large play area “on dry land”. Animators help children have fun. They offer creative activities, sports games, and mini-performances. Adults have the opportunity to relax in the hot tubs, visit one of the 24 saunas, treat themselves to spa treatments, and even leaf through a book in the thermal library. The fitness area offers activities for active people. Next to the Therme Wien thermal complex is the huge Oberlaa Park, a wonderful example of landscape gardening.