Your time machine for the day
Freilichtmuseum in German translates to open-air museum in English and, not surprisingly, it is exactly what the name suggests (we use a word “skansen” in Polish which I guess is less self-descriptive). But even if you have been living in Salzburg for a while, there is a good chance that you haven’t heard about it. It is a vast 50ha open-air museum located in the shadow of Untersberg. It is dedicated to the history and traditions of the state of Salzburg. The buildings here range in age from 100 to 300 years, so the museum is pretty legit.
You could suspect that that the visitors are mostly history enthusiasts or kids on school trips. Nevertheless, we think it has a lot to offer to both locals and foreign tourists searching for a little bit of non-Mozart-themed culture. By the way, most of the exhibitions are translated to English, which is a big positive surprise.
So, why exactly is Salzburger Freilichtmuseum it worth a visit?
It attracts “non-mainstream” tourists
If you are tired of weekend tourist crowds in the Altstadt, this is a place for you. Since the museum does not have Mozart in its name (quite contrary to the usual Salzburg-style marketing), it does not attract that many tourists. The remote-ish location (around 10km outside of the city) means that it requires a dedicated trip and at least few hours of free time. The website claims the yearly average is around 100,000 visitors, but it is definitely not the highlight in your Lonely Planet. You probably would not visit it unless you are spending at least few days in the area.
Good option for any weather
Salzburger Freilichtmuseum is an excellent choice if you want to get a little bit of culture, but not necessarily end up stuck inside on a sunny day. Side note: we actually went there on a rainy day and used some of the houses as shelter from rain. Yes, you can actually go inside of most of the buildings.
Cute and charming
The museum is split into five sub-villages and boasts around hundred buildings, which means that you frequently have a little hut just for yourself. Most of those, which served as living quarters back in the days, are beautifully decorated with original furniture. The squeaky wooden floors, dimmed light and rustic smell make the ambience quite unique.
Delicious food
The restaurant at Salzburger Freilichtmuseum serves traditional Austrian dishes – the snacking plates were quite good. Plenty of outdoors seating and nature around make it a good place for a break. Some people even open to come visit this place without necessarily going to the museum 🙂 We leave it to your personal preferences.
For more information, visit the original museum’s website here. Let us know what you think and in case you need any additional tips around that area. Happy exploring!
