Around 300,000 tourists are said to travel to Salzburg every year simply because they want to see the original filming locations of the Hollywood classic 'The Sound of Music'. In Austria, however, almost nobody is familiar with the film. That could now change.
A blonde woman, singing, wearing a dirndl in a green meadow at the foot of the Alps: for 60 years, this film scene has shaped the way much of the world imagines Bavaria and Austria. It is the scene with which the Hollywood classic 'The Sound of Music' begins – and which is also shown on a large screen in the entrance hall of the new museum in Salzburg.
'The Sound of Music' premiered in New York in 1965 and, with five Oscars and two Golden Globes to its name, is one of the most successful musical film adaptations in cinema history. Since last Sunday, the film has even had its own museum dedicated to it at Hellbrunn Palace in Salzburg.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists want to see the original filming locations
Even today, right outside the new museum, you come across visitors who have travelled to Salzburg specially from the USA and China to see the original filming locations of their favourite film. If you ask them what it is they love so much about the film, one elderly lady replies simply: "Absolutely everything". A couple from Hong Kong are a bit more specific: the children, the songs – and, of course, the beautiful scenery.
In fact, the film was shot not only in Salzburg but also in the Berchtesgadener Land. The iconic opening scene, for example, was filmed in a meadow in Marktschellenberg against the backdrop of the Untersberg. Yet the film remains surprisingly little known in Bavaria and Austria to this day: "We're from the coast, we don't know that one," quips a tour group from Stralsund. And even an Austrian has to think for a while when he hears the film's name: "I've sort of heard of it," he says eventually. He certainly doesn't sound sure.
A classic love story – threatened by the Nazis
The plot of the film is easily summarised: young Maria is a novice at a convent, but she is not making a good impression there. The nuns therefore send her to work as a governess for the strict Baron von Trapp – who has recently been widowed and needs help bringing up his seven children.
What follows is essentially a classic love story, says museum director Martin Hochleitner. First the children fell in love with their new nursery teacher, then the father did too. The family formed a choir, won their first competitions and lived in harmony – until the Nazis annexed Austria to the German Reich. When the baron was due to be called up into the German Navy, the family decided to flee to the USA.
Reaching two target groups at the same time
The museum now aims to strike a balance and appeal to two target groups at the same time: die-hard fans from abroad and locals, who often know little or nothing about the film and its history.
To achieve this, the exhibition is divided into two parts: the first half focuses on the film and how it was received, displaying original costumes and props, and even featuring an immersive pavilion with a screen where visitors can, as it were, step right into the film. The second half explores the history of the real von Trapp family from Salzburg, showcasing mementos from their lives.
It was important to the curators to set the record straight on some of the inaccuracies in the Hollywood footage: for example, in the film, the family flees over the Untersberg, as director Hochleitner explains – and then suddenly finds itself in Switzerland. Yet Salzburg's local mountain actually lies on the border with Bavaria. But Hollywood made it clear at the time: "We're not interested in geography."
People from Salzburg in the museum? Not yet
The concept seems to be going down well with foreign tourists. An elderly lady, also from the US, is on the verge of tears – she is so moved by the props and large-scale scenes from the film, which has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. The Chinese couple mentioned at the start are also delighted – they say they have learnt a great deal about the true story behind the film.
And what about the people of Salzburg? On this particular day, at least, they are all but nowhere to be seen in the new museum – apart from one tour guide who plans to show the museum to her clients later on. But who knows: perhaps the new exhibition will, in the long run, encourage the locals to discover the film for themselves – as a curious story about how Hollywood invented Austria and Bavaria.
An article written by Julia Ley (BR), initially published on 25 September 2026, 13:37 (CEST)
