Criminal Museum in Scharnstein Castle

The Austrian Criminal Museum in Scharnstein Castle documents the history of Austrian law enforcement and policing through the ages.

More than 20 showcases trace this history from the Late Middle Ages up to our own times.
Deep in the vaults of the castle, where the County Court met from 1584 to 1848, numerous objects illustrate historical court cases, but also torture and the judicial and penal system. An original torture chamber allows us a glimpse into the practical side of the penitentiary system.
Past and present of the Gendarmerie, the Austrian country police, and a documentation on spectacular criminal cases solved by them, are presented in the historical exhibition rooms, as well as uniforms and equipment of this famous historical executive body.
Currently under construction is a new additional section on more modern equipment of the police apparatus as well as documentation on famous criminal cases of the more recent past. The car of a Turkish embassy employee in Vienna, which was destroyed in a terror attack on the Turkish Embassy in Vienna in 1984, stands at the center of the new section.

Guided tours are available for groups between 15 and 80 persons after previous arrangement.
A combination of tours of the castle and the museum is also possible for groups from 15 to max. 80 persons.

Audio guide from the Crime and Gendarmerie Museum

Further offers can be found at HISTORICUM SCHARNSTEIN.

Here you can find the Xibit Audio Guide to the Crime Museum.