Keltenmuseum Hallein
Pflegerplatz 5 
5400 Hallein

Museum´s Management

Mag. Florian Knopp
T +436245 80 783
f.knopp@keltenmuseum.at

The Museum of the Celts is a museum of archaeology and of city heritage. The Dürrnberg Research Department coordinates archaeological research and manages as well maintains the abundant Iron Age collection. The history of the former salt city of Hallein constitutes another core area. Salt mining and saline enterprises shaped the development of the city. The financing as well as the management structure of the museum reflect its trans-regional importance. The city of Hallein and the province of Salzburg’s administration both equally subsidize the Museum of the Celts Hallein. A management and cooperation treaty with Salzburg Museum GmbH came into effect on 1 January 2012. This agreement has allowed for the presentation of the beak-spouted jug from the Dürrnberg hill top site, a presentation of the prehistoric collection of the Salzburg Museum as well as cooperation on special exhibits.
The city archive as well as the most extensive archive related to “Silent Night” on the planet are managed by the Museum of the Celts Hallein. It is the place where numerous documents and objects from the estate of Franz Xaver Gruber, the composer of “Silent Night, Holy Night!” are kept. The Museum of the Celts Hallein puts special emphasis on developing and realizing concepts of art communication and art education. The museum has at its disposal a fully accessible and modern infrastructure for museum education and presents itself as a family-friendly place to facilitate informative as well as enjoyable interactions.
 

The financing and management structure of the museum clearly reflects the supra-regional importance of the Iron Age collection housed therein. Subsidies of the Museum of the Celts Hallein are shared between the city of Hallein and the Land Salzburg in equal parts. A management and cooperation treaty with Salzburg Museum GmbH that took effect on 1 January 2012 along with a more international orientation were significant steps towards an alignment with goals. Since 2014 the prehistory of the province of Salzburg is being presented on the first floor and complements the existing presentation of the Iron Age Dürrnberg hill top site findings. Another positive aspect of the operational agreement has been facilitating the presentation of the famous beak-spouted Dürrnberg jug. The operational agreement was prolonged for another series of three years in 2020.
 

The Museum of the Celts Hallein
Celts and city history in the historic registrar building

Ongoing excavations and discoveries at the Dürrnberg hill top site since the 19th century eventually led to the responsibility for it being handed over by federal state archaeologist Martin Hell to Ernst Penninger, the cultural advisor and curator of the so-called Griestor (historic city gate building). When the museum was moved to its current location, its name was changed into “Museum of the Celts Hallein”. The historic building was adapted by the architect Jakob Adlhart. In 1980 the regional exhibition “The Celts in Central Europe” turned the Museum of the Celts Hallein into an exhibition venue renowned across Europe. The head of the Austrian Research Centre on Dürrnberg and long-time rector of the museum Kurt W. Zeller (1945-2009) significantly shaped its development. The historic salt registrar building was expanded by a generous staircase in 1994 by the architect Heinz Tesar. In 2004 the architectural office Halle 1 redesigned the entrance section as well as the exhibition areas. The same company is responsible for current renovations. Today the Museum of the Celts Hallein houses most of the Iron Age era finds from Dürrnberg as well as the historic collections related to the city history of Hallein.
 

Board of trustees of the Museum of the Celts Hallein