Museums Schloss Stainz > Discover > The collection of the Hunting Museum

The Collection

With 5.800 objects, the hunting collection at the Universalmuseum Joanneum is the largest of its kind in Austria. The extraordinary size of the collections features not only "classic" exhibits but also focuses on wildlife ecology and the cultural history of hunting.

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The history of the Hunting Museum

The history of the hunting collection began in 1941, when the ‘Museum for Biotechnology and Hunting’ was founded. In 1949 the collections of this museum were transferred to Schloss Eggenberg as part of the 25th Styrian Hunting Exhibition. The department for hunting at the Joanneum was eventually founded in 1951, its first head was Wilhelm Hoffer. At the initiative of his successor, Philipp Meran, the Hunting Museum was at last opened in Schloss Eggenberg in 1953, remaining at this location until 1998.

In 2003 the Hunting Collection was finally moved to Schloss Stainz, where the new Hunting Museum opened in 2006. 

In the spirit of Archduke Johann

The early democratisation and modernisation of hunting in Styria is owed to Archduke Johann. The founder of the Joanneum may be seen as a model hunter for his grand-nephew Emperor Franz Joseph I, and for the overall development of hunting in Styria. 

The museum of hunting is based on private collections, but also, in the broadest sense, on the “spirit” of the Archduke and the 25th Provincial Styrian Hunting Show at Schloss Eggenberg. The great success of this exhibition in 1949 led to foundation of the Museum of Hunting that was inaugurated in 1953 as a department of the Provincial Styrian Museum headed by Philipp Meran.

Collection theme and presentation

The focal points of the collection include decorative art objects, paintings and graphics with historical hunting depictions, weapons and trophies. In addition to around 160 Baroque deer heads from the collection of Count Lamberg, some pieces from the possession of Archduke Johann have also found their way into the collection.

Furthermore, the museum showcases a comprehensive range of hunting weapons throughout history and houses a valuable falconry collection, along with Austria's second-largest subject-specific library.

Role model and reformer

Archduke Johann and the hunt

When tracing the hunting ‘reforms’ that were introduced in the 19th century and still have an impact today, one inevitably comes across Archduke Johann.

At that time, the hunting situation was tense, because until the middle of the 19th century, hunting rights were not tied to land as they are today. Hunting was reserved for the nobility and therefore rather hated by the ‘common people’, as sometimes excessive game populations also led to major game damage, which reduced the already meagre agricultural yields.

This in turn had unpleasant consequences for hunting, as from 1848 - a time of political change - many opportunities for poaching opened up. This also affected the chamois and red deer population in Archduke Johann's hunting grounds, which he had leased from the farmers around Mariazell in addition to his own hunting grounds in the vicinity of the Brandhof. The area of his hunting grounds - property including leases - totalled around 30,000 hectares at the time.

His aim was now to rebuild the population through new regulations using district systems and so-called professional hunters. For example, he only allowed certain parts of the hunting grounds to be hunted and then placed them under ‘protection’ for several years so that there was no disturbance there. Johann was also very committed to the precise description of the duties of the ‘professional hunters’ he employed, as well as their ‘remuneration’.

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Museum-Highlight

The Archduke Johann's single-barrell

„Mit einer Einläufigen lernt man rein schießen, seine Schüsse sparen und zur rechten Zeit abgeben“.

The weapon owned by Archduke Johann is a converted flintlock rifle from the workshop of the gunsmith Franz Steskal in Vienna. This muzzle-loading weapon with an octagonal barrel, a rifled calibre of 15.5 mm and a field calibre of 14.2 mm already has a German set trigger and a folding sight. The wooden trigger guard, the butt plate and the ramrod lugs are plated with brass, while the inlays on the barrel are decorated with a silver thread.

Although the weapon comes from aristocratic ownership, its simple design is also a sign of his appreciation of hunting and wild animals and impressively represents the hunting spirit of the Archduke, who owned several weapons of this type. 

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