The Third Man Museum

If you have ever seen the film The Third Man, then whenever you think about it, you are bound to have the unmistakable Zither music from Anton Karas in your head. In the film, author Holly Martins travels to post-war Vienna because of a job offer from his friend Harry Lime there. When he arrives and finds out that Harry has recently died and had also been entangled in criminal activity, he resolves to clear his name. The Third Man Museum features 2,300 exhibits on the film in 13 rooms.

Post-war Vienna as a setting

The setting of the cinematic masterpiece that is The Third Man is post-war Vienna, divided into sectors for the occupation forces and its many ruins, black markets, careworn citizens, and fugitives. Even if some things are exaggerated here, or perhaps also for that very reason, it is still a cult film today, and the great level of interest in the Third Man Museum only proves this.

Following in the footsteps of Harry Lime

If you want to experience the film’s flair up close, then you can participate in a Third Man Tour, which takes you through the film’s main locations. It goes without saying that Vienna has changed drastically since the 1950s, but thanks to the exciting storytelling and not least, the typical “Third Man music”, you will be transported into Vienna as it was during Allied Occupation and the time of the East-West espionage activity.

In The Third Man, the chase is famous for taking place in the sewer. There is even a tour where you can plunge into the city beneath the city.

How to reach the museum

Address: Preßgasse 25, 1040 Vienna
Public transport: Underground line U4, stop: Kettenbrückengasse
Map:

Further information on the museum‘s opening hours.