Stadtmuseum Graz

The Graz Museum, previously known as Stadtmuseum Graz, is located at Sackstraße 18. It serves as the cultural-historical museum for the city of Graz in Austria.The collections and exhibitions focus on the city’s history and effectively communicate it.The historical display collection and permanent exhibition, “360 GRAZ | A history of the city,” offers a comprehensive portrayal of the political, economic, and social history of Graz.The museum is situated in the magnificent Palais Khuenburg, a baroque building that holds historical significance as the birthplace of Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este, the Austrian heir to the throne, in 1863.Another location can be found on the Stable Bastion, situated near the summit of Graz Castle Hill.

The City Museum was established in 1928 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Graz. It was founded by the city administration, the Joanneum State Museum, the Karl-Franzens University, the Technical University, and the Styrian State Archives. Originally known as the Historical Museum of the City of Graz, it has since become a significant institution in the city.In 1938, just ten years after its establishment, the museum faced the challenge of storing its collection in insufficient depots and rooms within the town hall. However, a solution was found when exhibition rooms became accessible in the Palais Attems located at Sackstraße 17.In 1951, the museum became a part of the Joanneum State Museum and relocated to Eggenberg Palace. However, it later returned to downtown and the township in 1969.During that period, the exhibits comprised historical objects, works of art from the city, as well as items acquired through purchases and donations.

In 1972, after 44 years of operating in a temporary space, the city museum finally found a permanent home at Palais Khuenburg, located at Sackstraße 18. In addition to the city’s comprehensive mediation of its history, which was built upon the display collection that was opened in 1982, efforts were made to enhance the previously modest collecting activities.Gerhard M. Dienes, who managed the museum for 15 years, oversaw the modernization of the house from 1995 to 1997. During this time, several noteworthy exhibitions were held, including “Water,” “trans local: Nine Cities on the Net,” and “The Laws of the Father,” which emphasized the importance of special exhibitions.

In 2005, the museum was separated from the municipal administration and became the Stadtmuseum Graz GmbH. This organization is fully owned by the city of Graz and is under the leadership of Otto Hochreiter.The institution remains the sole property of the City of Graz, even after the spin-off.In autumn 2012, the former Graz City Museum underwent a transformation and became the Graz Museum. Since then, it has gained recognition not only within the region but also beyond its borders.In 2014, the museum was nominated for the prestigious European Museum of the Year Award.The Graz Museum Schloßberg branch opened in 2020 on the stable bastion of the Grazer Schloßberg. It received the Styrian Architecture Prize in 2021 and was the sole Austrian museum to be nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award in 2023.