Discover the Ferdinandeum, Tyrol's regional museum

Published on July 4, 2024 at 4:00 pm

The Ferdinandeum, also known as the "Tyrol Regional Museum", is a must-see when visiting Innsbruck. Named after Archduke Ferdinand, it was founded in 1823, making it the 3rd oldest national museum in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is located in the heart of Innsbruck's Old Town, a stone's throw from the Court Church (Hofkirche) and the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl). So try to combine at least two visits!

The Ferdinandeum, which has grown steadily over the years, now boasts no fewer than seven collections on various themes centred on the Tyrol . These include history (from the Middle Ages to the present day), art, cartography, crafts, archaeological excavations in the region, and music (the violins of Jakob Stainer, the famous instrument maker, are on display!) It's a vast programme to explore in just a few hours... so we recommend you come early!

Summary

Don't miss
Admire Tyrolean art
Take a break in the museum restaurant

Don't miss

The tour begins on the ground floor, with the prehistoric and protohistoric collections, as well as the collections from the Roman province, covering the Stone Age to the High Middle Ages.

The first floor of the old building houses the art history collections, including superb religious objects from the Gothic to the Renaissance periods.

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Admire Tyrolean art

The 2nd and 3rd floors display works from the Baroque period, the stringed instrument collection and works from the 19th century.

This is also where you'll find the Gallery of Modern Art and the Studiogalerie, which showcase contemporary aspects of Austrian and Tyrolean art. In particular, you will find a very fine collection, including paintings by Egon Schiele and Albin Egger-Lienz's depictions of rural life in the post-war Tyrol (the bent-backed, exhausted-looking figures give an idea of the difficulty of working in the fields).

Stamp designed by Albin Egger-Lienz, an artist known for his rural representations.

In a more poetic vein, you can see the winter landscapes of Alfons Walde, who had a real passion for skiers training at the Kitzbühel ski resort in the Tyrol.

Art lovers will also be delighted to learn that the museum's collections include a host of paintings by classic Tyrolean painters such as Michael Pacher, Lucas Cranach der Ältere, Rembrandt van Rijn, Joseph Anton Koch and Angelica Kauffman.

Take a break in the museum restaurant

As well as Tyrolean art, the museum also boasts an excellent café and restaurant: theKunstpause, modelled on a French brasserie, where you'll be surprised to hear the likes of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel! You can eat here at any time of the day: in the morning, freshly baked croissants with coffee, cakes and lemonade for a snack, or hearty dishes between midday and 10pm: the choice is yours!