Innviertel Ethnic Art House

Experience History at the Innviertler Volkskundehaus Museum
Embark on a journey through time to explore the history of the town of Ried im Innkreis and the rich and varied culture of the Innviertel region. The unique collection of Schwanthaler sculptures invites you to linger, as do the numerous themes related to folklore. Whether it’s clothing, guild traditions, or religious artworks, the diversity of the collection appeals to every interest. All lovers of the visual arts will find something to enjoy at the Ried City Gallery. In addition to Alfred Kubin, Margret Bilger, and Wilhelm Dachauer, the gallery offers a representative cross-section of the Innviertel’s art scene.

Ried—between Bavaria and Austria
The exhibition on the town’s history is designed as a place for exploration and engagement with Ried’s culture and past. Notable figures from Ried, historical events, the town’s development from its beginnings to the present, and the transformation of its cityscape are presented in a contemporary format.

The Schwanthaler Family of Sculptors
For more than two centuries, this Bavarian-Austrian artistic dynasty was based in Ried. Founded in 1633 by Hans Schwabenthaler in what was then still Bavarian territory, it represents a unique phenomenon in art history. Today, 21 sculptors bearing this name are known. Outstanding works by the Schwanthalers—who maintained workshops not only in Ried but also in Gmunden, Krems, Passau, and Munich—can be viewed not only in Ried’s parish church and in many churches in the surrounding area, but above all in the Sculpture Hall of the Innviertler Volkskundehaus Museum.

Folklore Collection
The Innviertler Volkskundehaus Museum houses an extraordinary folklore collection. It includes tools, traditional costumes, jewelry, and vessels, as well as hand-painted devotional images, Baroque lace paintings, reverse-glass paintings, weather crosses, ornate monastic crafts, and amulets. A cultural-historical highlight is the “Silent Night Nativity Scene” from Oberndorf, in front of which the world-famous Christmas carol was first sung in 1818. (Silent Night Nativity Scene)

Ried City Gallery
The Ried City Gallery offers an overview of artistic creation in the Innviertel region from the late 19th century onward, characterized on the one hand by a deep connection to tradition and, on the other, by a demonstrative openness to new artistic movements. The region’s art scene was strongly influenced by the Innviertel Artists’ Guild (IKG). The immediate impetus for its founding in 1923 was the economic and cultural hardship of the years following World War I. Among the founding members of the IKG were Hugo von Preen, Aloys Wach, Louis Hofbauer, and Wilhelm Dachauer, whose works are also represented in the gallery.

• Audio Guide City Walking Tour
  📌 Audio Guide City Tour in German
  📌 Audio Guide City Tour in English

• Audio Guide Museum Tour
  📌 Audio Guide: Museum Tour (German)
  📌 Audio Guide: Museum Tour in English

• 3D Tour of the Museum
  📌 https://tour.3d-innviertel.at/tour/museum-innviertler-volkskundehaus