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The Museum Niederösterreich with its two sections, the Haus der Geschichte and the Haus für Natur, is a modern, multimedial experience. In addition to the existing permanent exhibitions, the Museum Niederösterreich organises annual special exhibitions in the fields of history and nature, which are thematically linked wherever possible.  

For example, the special exhibition “Zimmer frei! Urlaub auf dem Land“ (rooms available! vacation in the countryside) in the Haus der Geschichte illuminates the cultural history of vacationing in the countryside in six thematic chapters using the example of Lower Austrian holiday regions from 1945 to the present. Not only the guests’ perspective is told, but also that of the hosts. 

After the Second World War, large parts of the population could go on holiday for the first time. This fundamentally changed tourism. The special exhibition sheds light on vacationing with its phases and rituals. These range from planning and departure to the choice of means of transportation, arrival and stay, to the storage of memories in the form of photos and souvenirs. Questions are raised such as: What life circumstances determine who goes on holiday and in what way? Who may rarely be able to travel? Who not at all? 

Questions about the future of summer holidays are also addressed: Can we see a trend towards climate-friendly local vacations? Are we facing a rediscovery of the summer retreat?