Oberösterreichischer Musealverein

The Oberösterreichischer Musealverein (Upper Austrian Museum Association) is a learned society founded in 1833 in Linz, Upper Austria, to promote regional studies (Landeskunde) and to establish a museum for the province. Its full original name was "Verein des vaterländischen Museums für Oesterreich ob der Enns mit Inbegriff des Herzogthums Salzburg". The association was initiated by the Upper Austrian Landrat Anton von Spaun and the historian and Florianer canon Franz Kurz, with further founding members including governor Alois Ugarte, bishop Gregor Thomas Ziegler, Count Philipp Engl zu Wagrein, Baron Johann von Stiebar, Linz mayor Joseph Bischoff, the head of the Linz merchant guild Franz Planck, and the pharmacist Anton Hofstätter. Its statutes were confirmed by Emperor Franz I on 19 November 1833 during his stay in Linz. Within a few years the association assembled significant collections for the art and cultural history, archaeology, natural history and folklore of Upper Austria. In 1895 it achieved its founding goal with the opening of its own museum building at Museumstrasse 14 in Linz, the "Museum Francisco-Carolinum" (today the Landesgalerie Linz). The building, the extensive collections and the museum library remained the property of the Musealverein until after World War I; only in 1920 were the house and collections transferred to the Province of Upper Austria, where they remain today as the Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum. After the museum goal was achieved, the association focused on the care of Upper Austrian regional studies as a whole: initiating and supporting research, publishing scholarly works, and organizing lectures, guided tours and excursions. In 1976 the old name "Oberösterreichischer Musealverein" was extended by the addition "Gesellschaft für Landeskunde". In October 2013 the association merged with the Verein Denkmalpflege in Oberösterreich to form the Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege Oberösterreich, which continues the tradition under the website denkmalpflege.at. The society remains active, publishing the Jahrbuch (yearbook) and other series, and organizing scholarly events such as the 2026 Anton Bruckner symposium in Bad Ischl.

The Oberösterreichischer Musealverein was founded on 1 October 1833 in Linz on the initiative of the Upper Austrian Landrat Anton von Spaun and the historian and Florianer canon Franz Kurz. Further founding members included governor Alois Ugarte, bishop Gregor Thomas Ziegler, Count Philipp Engl zu Wagrein, Baron Johann von Stiebar, Linz mayor Joseph Bischoff, the head of the Linz merchant guild Franz Planck, and the pharmacist Anton Hofstätter. On 19 November 1833 Emperor Franz I confirmed the statutes during his stay in Linz. The association's full name at the time was "Verein des vaterländischen Museums für Oesterreich ob der Enns mit Inbegriff des Herzogthums Salzburg", and its goal was, among other things, to establish a museum in Upper Austria. The Joanneum in Graz, founded in 1811, served as a model, much as the Steiermärkisches Landesarchiv (1868) later served as a model for the founding of the Oberösterreichisches Landesarchiv in 1896. Initially the respective Statthalter or Regierungspräsident led the association; from 1869 a dedicated association president was appointed. At the first general assembly in 1834 the association already had 719 members. In 1839 Archduke Franz Karl of Austria took over the patronage, hence the museum in Linz is named "Francisco-Carolinum". In 1844 the members belonging to the Salzburg district founded their own Musealverein in Salzburg, which halved both the number of members and the amount of contributions, and the publication of the Musealblatt had to be temporarily suspended at the end of 1844 for financial reasons. In this difficult time the association benefited from the discovery of the Celtic burial ground at Hallstatt by the saltworks foreman Johann Georg Ramsauer. The association's curator Georg Weißhäupl drew the plan of the burial field and faithful illustrations of the finds, and the foundation of a collection of Celtic antiquities was laid. In 1884 construction began on the Museum Francisco-Carolinum (today the OÖ. Landesmuseum), which was opened by Emperor Franz Joseph I on 29 May 1895. In 1896 the OÖ. Landesarchiv was founded. In 1938 the association was initially banned and president Ignaz Zibermayr resigned. From 1938 to 1945 the association operated under the name "Verein für Landeskunde und Heimatpflege im Gau Oberdonau" together with the "Museum des Reichsgaus Oberdonau". In 1946 the OÖ. Musealverein was restored under president Eduard Straßmayr. In 1976 the association's name was changed to "Oberösterreichischer Musealverein – Gesellschaft für Landeskunde". In 2013 the Musealverein merged with the "Verein Denkmalpflege in Oberösterreich" to form today's "Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege Oberösterreich". The association has been active in publishing since its founding in 1833. Its serial publications include the Jahrbuch (from 1835 to 2013 as Jahrbuch des Oberösterreichischen Musealvereines), the Beiträge zur Landeskunde von Oberösterreich (1972–2004), the Mitteilungsblätter (since 1971), and the Oberösterreichisches Urkundenbuch. The society continues to organize scholarly events and publications, such as the 2026 Anton Bruckner symposium and the book "Das Gosautal".

• 2013

  Merger with Verein Denkmalpflege in Oberösterreich to form Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege Oberösterreich.

• 1976

  Name changed to "Oberösterreichischer Musealverein – Gesellschaft für Landeskunde".

• 1946

  OÖ. Musealverein restored under president Eduard Straßmayr.

• 1938

  Association banned; president Ignaz Zibermayr resigns. Renamed "Verein für Landeskunde und Heimatpflege im Gau Oberdonau" until 1945.

• 1920

  Museum building and collections transferred to the Province of Upper Austria.

• 1896

  OÖ. Landesarchiv founded.

• 1895

  Museum Francisco-Carolinum opened by Emperor Franz Joseph I on 29 May.

• 1884

  Construction begins on the Museum Francisco-Carolinum.

• 1844

  Salzburg members found their own Musealverein; publication of the Musealblatt temporarily suspended.

• 1839

  Archduke Franz Karl takes over patronage; museum named "Francisco-Carolinum".

• 1834

  First general assembly; association already has 719 members.

• 1833

  Association founded on 1 October in Linz; statutes confirmed by Emperor Franz I on 19 November.

A traditional learned society and heritage organization for Upper Austria, combining regional studies with monument preservation.

• Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege

  Annual scholarly publication, published since 1835 (as Jahrbuch des Oberösterreichischen Musealvereines until 2013).

• Beiträge zur Landeskunde von Oberösterreich

  Series published 1972–2004, with 16 volumes in the historical series and 3 in the natural science series.

• Mitteilungsblätter der Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege

  Newsletter, formerly Mitteilungen aus dem OÖ. Musealverein, published since 1971.

• Oberösterreichisches Urkundenbuch

  Document edition; volumes published from 1856 onwards.

1. 1Denkmalpflege – Newsdenkmalpflege.at
2. 2Denkmalpflege – Geschichtedenkmalpflege.at
3. 3Wikidata: Oberösterreichischer Musealvereinwikidata.org
4. 4Wikipedia: Gesellschaft für Landeskunde und Denkmalpflege Oberösterreichde.wikipedia.org