In 2009, Salzburg Museum received a prestigious award, becoming the best museum of the year in Europe. The city's main museum is located in the historic center of Salzburg, on Mozartplatz. It occupies the building of the New Residence of the Archbishops, built in the 16th century near Salzburg Cathedral.
The museum was founded in 1834 and was then a small collection of materials devoted to military themes, in particular to the period of the Napoleonic Wars. Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria, served as the museum's patron, and after the Austrian Revolution of 1848-1849 it was decided to give it the status of the city's main museum.
Salzburg Museum moved into the New Residence in 2005. The first floor of the building is devoted to temporary exhibitions. On the second floor, visitors can get acquainted with prominent figures of Salzburg and see the fruits of their labor in the form of paintings, sculptures, photographs, documents, and installations. On the third floor there are exhibitions telling about the cultural development of Salzburg, from the rule of the prince-archbishops to the present day. Also on the third floor are archaeological exhibits from different eras, fragments of Celtic utensils, and objects from later periods in the history of this region.
