Sound of Music Salzburg
A new and unique exhibition is being created on the historic grounds of Hellbrunn Palace. The buildings at the entrance to the park — the old coach house, the hunters’ and zookeepers’
lodge — are currently being renovated and will become a new location of the Salzburg Museum by summer 2026. The exhibition, called “Sound of Music Salzburg,” will look not only at the
Hollywood film “The Sound of Music” as a cultural and tourist phenomenon, but will also reflect on the real history of the von Trapp family. The nearby gazebo — an original filming location and well-known landmark — will act as the final highlight of the museum tour.
How it all began
By the time Maria von Trapp wrote her memoirs in 1949, the Trapp Family Singers were already well known and loved throughout the United States. In 1959, Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein II turned the remarkable story into the musical The Sound of Music. Just a few years later, Robert Wise adapted the Broadway hit for the screen, starring Julie
Andrews and Christopher Plummer and filming at (almost) the original locations in Salzburg. Since its New York premiere in 1965, this romantic story based on real events has enchanted
millions of people. Every year, more than 350,000 fans come to Salzburg to follow in the footsteps of the von Trapp family and explore the original settings of their favorite film.
A museum in a noble setting
Hellbrunn Palace: one of the most beautiful places in Salzburg and the future home of the new Sound of Music Salzburg Museum. The charming baroque complex of former utility buildings at the entrance to the Fürstenallee is currently being renovated, based on plans by the architectural partnership EIDOS Architektur and AXIS Ingenieurleistungen, and will be adapted as a new branch of the Salzburg Museum. The former coach house will focus on the film phenomenon, while the hunters’ lodge will explore the real history of the von Trapp family and today’s theatrical engagement with the story at the site. The visitor reception and a small shop will be located opposite in the zookeepers’ lodge . An integral part of the exhibition area is the famous gazebo — once a backdrop in the Hollywood film “The Sound of Music”, now a place of pilgrimage for fans from all over the world — located right nearby.
A multimedia exhibition experience
“Sound of Music Salzburg” uses an innovative multimedia presentation and education concept to invite visitors to engage with The Sound of Music. It covers the story of the von Trapp family, the musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein, and the historical context of the period. It also explores how the Hollywood film was created, how it became so successful, and why it still has a global impact today. The exhibition guides visitors through the origins of the American film and contrasts this with how the story is received and presented locally today, while also providing information about the real-life experiences of the Trapp Family Singers. As a result, it offers many new insights — both for the international sing-along fan community and local audiences.
The gazebo
One of the highlights of the exhibition is a replica of the pavilion (referred to as the “gazebo” in the original film), which — unlike the real one in the palace park — visitors will actually be able to enter. Inside, it offers a unique experience: a 360-degree cinematic projection room that immerses guests in a highly realistic 3D recreation of the iconic scene “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”.
