Vienna Theatermuseum

From the 18th century, Habsburg emperors began to hoard theater artifacts from Austrian playhouses. Today, these pieces are artfully exhibited among the stucco and frescoes of Lobkowicz Palace, where Beethoven famously premiered his Third Symphony. Admire costumes designed by Oskar Kokoschka and Pablo Picasso; flyers for 18th-century concerts; and autographs from master musicians Wagner, Strauss, Mähler, and Beethoven. Theatermuseum is one of many museums in the Hofburg palace complex, so a common feature of Vienna sightseeing or music-themed tours.

• Fans of theater and classical music performance will be especially interested in this eclectic collection of memorabilia.

• In addition to its permanent collection, the Theater Museum holds temporary exhibitions dedicated to Vienna's theater history; tickets include admission to both.

• Lobkowicz Palace hosts classical concerts in the Eroica Hall and summer performances in the outdoor courtyard. Tickets sell out fast, so book ahead of time.

• There’s a small museum shop and cloakroom, but no cafè inside the museum.

• The two levels of the museum are wheelchair- and stroller-accessible via ramps.

The Austrian Theater Museum (Theatermuseum) is in the baroque Lobkowicz Palace, steps away from the Schloss Schönbrunn, and is part of the Kunsthistorischen museums complex. It’s easy to reach on foot from any of the Hofburg museums or attractions—hop on metro lines U1 and U3 (Stephansplatz stop) or U2 and U4 (Karlsplatz stop) from other areas of the city.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays but open during the rest of the week and on weekends. This hidden gem of a collection makes for a quiet retreat from the nearby A-list collections like the Albertina and Hofburg palace, so pop in for a respite from the crowds during the busiest hours of the day.

Dating from the late 1690s, the Lobkowitz was one of the first urban palaces built in Vienna after the Imperial Family made the city its main home. It was here that Beethoven privately premiered his Third Symphony (known as the Eroica) and many glittering society balls were held in its ornate hall over the centuries. Stop to admire the frescoed Eroica Saal where Beethoven conducted and take in the intact baroque architecture of the facade and interiors while visiting the resident Theater Museum.