vienna museums - kids

If your kids are not deeply into music, then I would suggest either the Museum of Natural History or the Museum of Technology.

A rather unusal museum: http://www.josephinum.ac.at/?L=1

Some hints:
https://www.wien.info/en/vienna-for/families/sightseeing
http://www.wienxtra.at/fileadmin/web/oea/pdf_2015/ueber_uns/ueber_uns_kinderaktiv/kinderaktiv_englisch.pdf

12 and 14 ? Push a little bit - go to the art history museum ( Kunsthistoriches ) , but go to the Kunstkammer section , not the painting , and see how they react . The Cellini salt cellar and the accompanying computer information should whet their curiosity . look here -http://www.khm.at/en/visit/collections/kunstkammer-wien/

I would suggest the Military History Museum. They may be too young to appreciate the "loser's perspective" of World Wars I and II, but there is much to see. The museum is fairly small and will not take a lot of time to visit.

I asked my 12 year old son this morning which one he prefers and he said Natural History. That said, I find it to be boring for my kids once we get there. The building itself is extraordinary, but the exhibits are tedious. If you like stuffed dead animals and rooms full of rocks - this is the place for you!

I like to take my kids to an art museum - they like the MUMOK and Albertina best. We first go the gift shop, buy postcards of paintings/objects and then go on a scavenger hunt. Just an idea.

It really depends on the boys. If I were to visit just one museum in Vienna it would be the Leopold, but I love Schiele and your boys probably won't. If they have any real interest in art, take them to the Kunthuhistoriche and I say that because you too will only be seeing one museum.

That said, the House der Music is hands on, fun, mostly science of sound oriented though it includes rooms devoted to each of several composers, and it is central to other sights. There is nothing else like it anywhere. I think your boys will enjoy it and they won't see anything like it elsewhere.

The Military History Museum will be dry without a little bit of pre museum history lesson. But an interest in WWI, especially the assassination of Franz Fendinand would make it worth while. It is housed in a gorgeous building and would combine well with the upper Belvedere which you will walk past on your way. Take them to the sculpted faces and see the Klimt. The animals with the big breasts on the way out through the grounds may amuse them. Otherwise it is rather out of the way.

I'm sure they would enjoy The Natural History Museum, but there are many museums like it in the U.S. and Europe.

Not a museum, but do take them to the the Nasch Market and climb St. Stephen's.

The Kunsthistorisches might be interesting for your boys. On the ground floor many of the exhibits have interactive digital displays explaining more about the objects exhibited and showing many of the mechanical objects in action...and some of them are REALLY funny and quite amazing for how old they are. There is a very good Egyptian exhibit. The size of the lower floor is very manageable with kids.

The KHM has quite a number of severed heads paintings. Kids seem to get into those lol

hmmm.. decisions! Thanks so much for all of the feedback.

I was leaning Natural History since everyone seems to like it, but as mentioned, there are tons of these types of museums all over the world and we have been to lots of them.

I wanted to go to Haus der Musik but some of the reviews mentioned lots of non-working exhibits and if it's crowded (which it is likely to be on Dec. 23) then it is hard to see things.... but this one seemed interesting to me since I teach physics....

I really would just rather wander around to lots of markets and outside places but I also see that maybe being outside from like 10am-8pm in the freezing cold would not be ideal! :)

Maybe I will look into the KHM (is that the acronym for the long K word art museum?) - lots of people seem to have interesting things to see there....

Thanks all!!!
Kim

If you are a physics teacher, then definitely visit the Technical Museum. Excellent hands-on exhibits for the kids. It is across from Schonbrunn (great Christmas market there).

.... ' It really depends on the boys. If I were to visit just one museum in Vienna it would be the Leopold, but I love Schiele and your boys probably won't. If they have any real interest in art, take them to the Kunthuhistoriche and I say that because you too will only be seeing one museum. " Jen's post raises an interesting point - You could follow her taste - Take them to a place like The Leopold , they might not like the Schiele works , but , then , they might be entranced - it's worth trying to expand their views and imaginations . When our children were toddlers , we began taking them to see things that we knew would be abstract for them , but the impact was unmistakable . Be bold , challenging their minds is the best thing you can do . Some of your choices may work , others not , but it's always best to try . I am seventy now , our children have grown up with the best characteristic one can have - curiosity ! At my age , I am still learning and absorbing new perspectives , and Vienna is an unending school for me . Sorry to be a bore , but this brilliant travel documentary is a must for anyone visiting Vienna ; The City of Dreams -https://youtu.be/AFZBOTgL_Hk

Narrenturm – pathologic-anatomical museum

Narrenturm – pathologic-anatomical museum

That's rather hard stuff. It belongs now to the NHM (Naturhistorisches Museum), the Museum of Natural History. This collection is not even advertised on the English pages of their website. So the following links give the German information, only.
General description:
http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/forschung/anthropologie/pathologisch-anatomische_sammlung_im_narrenturm
Guided tours, highly recommended:
http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/forschung/anthropologie/pathologisch-anatomische_sammlung_im_narrenturm/fuhrungen

As a preparation for that visit you might consider to go another museum first, where only wax models are shown:
http://www.josephinum.ac.at/?L=1

Yes, KHM = Kunsthistorishes Museum
Following up the comment upthread about making it a treasure hunt with postcards (which is BRILLIANT!) , when I was at the d'Orsay, I little kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old dashed up next to me, pointed at one of the sculptures and announced 'Look! I found another dead person!' Took me a moment to realize he was talking to his parents. I bet that kid will always remember hunting for dead people in Paris.