Vienna’s Natural History Museum

The Habsburgs’ passion for collecting

The story behind the collections at the Natural History Museum begins with Emperor Francis I of Lorraine. Passionate about the natural sciences, he purchases Johann de Baillou’s collection - comprising 30,000 artefacts - in 1750, and with it founds the Court Natural History Cabinet, making Baillou its first director at the same time. Alongside an outstanding range of rare exhibits, Baillou’s collection is exceptional in that it is organised according to scientific criteria.

In order to expand his collection, Emperor Francis I orders a scientific expedition led by Nicolous Joseph Jacquin in 1755 to the Antilles, Venezuela and Columbia. The scientific spoils are huge. In addition to 67 crates of specimens, the expedition returns home with whole plants plus a large number of live animals.

Later generations of the Imperial Family also contribute to the collection. Emperor Francis I of Austria for instance, who sends an expedition to Brazil in 1817. The occasion is the marriage of his daughter, Leopoldina (also known as Dona Leopoldina) to the contender for the newly-created Brazilian throne. Landscape painter Thomas Ender and taxidermist Johann Natterer are among those who take part in the expedition and spend a total of 18 years in the South American rainforests.

The SMS Novara brings back equally rich spoils to Vienna from its circumnavigation of the globe in 1857-1859.

Since the collection has long since outgrown its Cabinet, construction of the Natural History Museum begins in 1871. It is formally opened on August 10th, 1889 by Emperor Franz Joseph I.

The statues and reliefs depict progress in the natural sciences and are symbolically dedicated to the forces of nature. Below the dome, in golden letters, is the imperial consecration “Dem Reiche der Natur und seiner Erforschung” (“To the natural kingdom and its exploration”).

Today the Natural History Museum houses world famous and unique exhibits such as the 29,500-year-old Venus of Willendorf.