Josephinum-Museum des Instituts für Geschichte der Medizin, Vienna

Josephinum-Museum des Instituts für Geschichte der Medizin, Vienna

The Josephinum Museum is a true one of a kind place to visit. It was built in 1783, by a commission from the Emperor of the time, to be part of a medical teaching academy. In more recent times, the institution has been turned into a place to house the medical collection of the University of Vienna. The structure was designed by Isidore Canevale.

Joseph II had the place built as a school to teach physicians, nurses, and midwives how to care for people. One of the unique things about the place is the wax models that are housed here. They were originally used to teach anatomy to new students. Paolo Mascagni designed them. There are over 1100 different models to see, which are housed in six different display rooms.

Besides the main attraction, though, you can also find out a lot about the 600 year history of medicine in Austria, which has been so meticulously documented here over the years. You will need to take a guided tour to see the majority of the museum though. Only a few rooms are open to just browsing by the general public.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Josephinum-Museum des Instituts für Geschichte der Medizin on Map

Sight Name: Josephinum-Museum des Instituts für Geschichte der Medizin
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

Create Your Own Walk in Vienna

Create Your Own Walk in Vienna

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Mozart Walking Tour

Mozart Walking Tour

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart spent a significant portion of his life in Vienna. Here, he achieved recognition, and the city holds enormous historical and cultural significance for his legacy. Mozart first visited Vienna as a child prodigy in 1762, and in 1781 came here to stay.

The city met the composer with a vibrant and cosmopolitan atmosphere brought about by some of the top musicians and artists...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Old Town Chocolate Stores

Old Town Chocolate Stores

Vienna is famous for its love for sweet indulgence. And when it comes to chocolate, it stands tall among other locally-made mouth-watering confections.

Vienna's chocolate scene is deeply rooted in a rich culinary tradition. It has been sustained by several historic chocolate houses, located in the Old Town, that have been serving decadent treats for generations.

Landmark...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

Characterized by ornamental and organic designs, flowing lines, and harmonious integration of various artistic elements, Vienna's Art Nouveau architecture was aimed at breaking away from historical styles and embracing a more modern, decorative approach. The city's architects of that era sought to create an absolute work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), where all aspects of a building's...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Famous Homes of Vienna

Famous Homes of Vienna

Throughout centuries, the Austrian capital has been home to numerous famous individuals, from creative people of arts to thinkers, scientists, and politicians. Vienna's illustrious history is closely intertwined with the abodes of its celebrated residents, where artistic virtuosos and luminaries of their time found solace and inspiration.

The often modest apartments of Vienna's famous...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Klimt Paintings Tour

Klimt Paintings Tour

"I have the gift of neither the spoken nor the written word, especially if I have to say something about myself or my work. Whoever wants to know something about me - as an artist, the only notable thing - ought to look carefully at my pictures" – Gustav Klimt.

Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vienna Introduction Walking Tour

Vienna Introduction Walking Tour

A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering — Vienna, the capital of Austria, embodies a blend of regal tradition and contemporary vibrancy. The origin of the city's name is rooted in Roman times, stemming from the Celtic word Vedunia, meaning “forest stream”, which later evolved into Vindobona, a Roman...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna

7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna

Once the center of the vast Hapsburg Empire, stretched from France in the West to Russia in the East, Austria has embraced many ethnic influences in its cuisine over the course of centuries. Many of the country's distinctive dishes reflect its multinational heritage. Coffee culture, for...
Top 16 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna

Top 16 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna

Vienna stool, Viennese schnitzel, Viennese waltz, Vienna sausage, Viennese apple strudel... There's so much Vienna to it, that you might think you've heard it all. Luckily, chances are that you haven't and there's much more in store left to be discovered about this fascinating...