Sound of Music Museum Opens Where the von Trapp Story Met Hollywood

Real-Life von Trapp History Versus Hollywood Portrayal

The exhibition highlights the differences between the actual history of the von Trapp family and their depictions in the 1959 Broadway musical and the subsequent Hollywood film, which won five Academy Awards, including best picture. According to museum officials cited by the Associated Press, the real Georg von Trapp—a submarine commander in the Austro-Hungarian navy—was not the strict paternalist portrayed by actor Christopher Plummer, but rather a considerate and burdened father.

Elisabeth von Trapp, a granddaughter of Georg and Agathe von Trapp who attended the opening and continues to lead guided tours of movie sites in Salzburg, noted familial details set straight by the exhibition. “My father is depicted in the movie as Kurt; his name was Werner von Trapp. Just to set the record straight,” she told the Associated Press.

Exhibit Highlights and Visitor Experience

Located in a city perhaps best known as the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Sound of Music Salzburg museum features a central display of the gazebo where the characters Liesl von Trapp and Rolf perform the duet “Sixteen going on Seventeen.” According to the Associated Press, the exhibition is open daily until November 1, closes briefly late in the year, and is scheduled to reopen next March.

Several hundred thousand fans travel to Salzburg each year to visit locations tied to the film. Among the attendees on opening day were John and Terry Combs from Dayton, Ohio, who toured the city with Elisabeth von Trapp. “I love the combination of it being much about the movie, of course, but about the real von Trapp family, which I’ve read much about over the years,” Terry Combs told the Associated Press.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is The Sound of Music museum located?

The museum is situated inside the 17th-century Hellbrunn Palace in Salzburg, Austria, where many scenes from the 1965 film were shot, according to the Associated Press.

When is the museum open to visitors?

According to the Associated Press, the exhibition is open daily until November 1, will close late this year, and is scheduled to reopen in March.

What artifacts are on display at the museum?

Visitors can view nearly 450 objects, including film props, costumes, cinema posters, and recordings of the music, alongside a centerpiece display of the iconic gazebo.