The Journey begins

Even the vestibule of the exhibit prepares the visitor for his immersion into the world of the Salzburg Festival. Posters and images from decades past convey first impressions.

As soon as the visitor walks into the actual exhibit, he is welcomed by the founding fathers of the Salzburg Festival, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Max Reinhardt, Alfred Roller, Franz Schalk and Richard Strauss. It was their vision to conjure up a new Europe after World War I with a festival of the arts.

Following the Traces of Time

The visitor is now guided by a timeline which displays the development of the Salzburg Festival through the decades. It does not only introduce individual personalities and their work, but also emphasizes their motivation. In addition to the chronological development, insights into important events are conveyed through historical film footage, photographs and sketches, but also animation.

These elements also give the timeline a thematic structure, so that the thematic focal points present within and outside of the Kunsthalle (for example the letters of the walk-in encyclopedia) can be associated easily with their chronological context.

Together with the timeline, thematic focal points are created. They incorporate both “classical” exhibit materials from the archives (photographs, documents, posters, costumes, stage sets etc.) and multi-media elements (mirror and display cases, projections etc.).