Welcome to the audio guide for the exhibition New Ages: Austria since 1918. This audio guide takes you through a total of 12 stations connecting events and developments in recent Austrian history to twelve different people’s life stories.

You are now in the entrance hall of the museum where you see a reception desk. To the left of this desk you will find black portable chairs. Feel free to take one along with you.

The listening time for this audio guide is around 50 minutes. At the end of each station, the audio guide will automatically pause so you have time to take a closer look. When you are ready to continue, simply press play. The stations included in this audio guide are marked with a yellow headphone icon. If you like, you can also read along with the text on your mobile phone.

The museum’s education team has created this audio guide for you. My name is Dave Dempsey. My name is Julie McCarthy. Our voices will accompany you on your journey through the exhibition.

To the right of the reception desk is the entrance to the exhibition—please enter through the doorway now.

The first room focuses on the drastic changes that occurred in 1918. That year marks the end of the First World War. The Habsburg Monarchy was replaced by several new states—one of which was the democratic republic of German Austria. Instead of the Emperor, a democratically elected Parliament now ruled the country.

For many, this was a time of great change. However, the way that these transformations affected people’s lives was extremely varied.

Twelve people’s life stories have been chosen for this audio guide, because the great variety of their experiences offers us many different perspectives on Austrian history. This audio guide is not just about these people’s stories; it is also about the historical developments that occurred during their lifetime and the objects in the museum connected to them.

The main idea here is not to give a comprehensive account of Austrian history, but to outline certain key events and give a better understanding of them. You are welcome to take time to learn more, either at the stations in the exhibition themselves, or through the links included in this audio guide.