After two years at the Museum of Military History (HGM), Director Georg Hoffmann draws a positive interim balance. In addition to successful negotiations on an increase of 26 workplaces in the museum, Hoffmann says that the spatial situation for staff has been improved with additional office, storage and studio space. In addition, long-standing problems, particularly with regard to the preservation of the museum’s valuable holdings, have been resolved.
The filling of the particularly relevant positions of collection and research management is imminent and, according to Hoffmann, represents “a further milestone in the professionalization of the museum”. The HGM is also pushing ahead with cooperation with future museum partners in the joint creation of a culturally used space in the Arsenal. Since 2024, the Burgtor on Heldenplatz has also been integrated as an additional location for educational programs. The new exhibition on the period 1918-1956, curated externally by historian and curator Niko Wahl, will open in spring 2026. An important next step is the now unavoidable structural renovation of the HGM, above all in the museum’s two oldest exhibition rooms, which will close on February 10. With four scientific conferences and numerous events and educational programs, Hoffmann believes that the Museum of Military History is “well equipped” for the anniversary and commemorative year 2025.
“The Museum of Military History is on a very good path in terms of professionalization and with the implemented expansions and networking in culture and science, but also the renovation projects, and is heading in a direction that I wanted for the museum,” said Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner. “In 2024 in particular, relevant milestones were reached here to give the museum the status it deserves. I am delighted that we started on this path two years ago and am very confident about the future of the Museum of Military History.”
“I am very proud that we have not only achieved our objectives in 2024, but have even exceeded them. As a team, we are in the process of building up and are able to fill new positions on an ongoing basis, soon the position of Head of Collections and Head of the Exhibitions Department, as well as the Head of Museum Research,” says Hoffmann.
The HGM director continues: “With new office, studio and archive space, we are opening up new rooms and opportunities, which will also mean close cooperation within the framework of a future museum merger in the Arsenal. We are already looking forward to the neighborhood with the Fotoarsenal Wien, the Filmmuseum and Art for Art and to using the synergies in terms of content and space. We could also use the Burgtor on Heldenplatz as a new educational venue in 2024, which, as one of the most interesting historical locations in the Republic, offers us excellent opportunities for our educational programs.”
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