Josephinian Military Academy of Surgery Museum

The Josephinian Military Academy of Surgery, commonly called the Josephinum, is a late 18th-century surgical academy building in Vienna, Austria established during the reign of Emperor Joseph II. It was created as a dedicated institution for training military surgeons.

Exhibition spaces present historical anatomical models, surgical instruments and teaching collections used in medical education. Displays focus on the techniques and teaching aids of 18th and 19th century surgery rather than contemporary medical practice.

Commissioned under Emperor Joseph II in the 1780s as a military academy of surgery, the Josephinum later became part of Vienna’s medical educational infrastructure and its historic collections were preserved for study and display.

Situated in Vienna, the site is located within the city’s medical campus area and is accessible from central Vienna by public transport.

• Anatomical models: The museum retains plaster and wax anatomical models that were used for surgical instruction in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Current use: Now associated with the Medical University of Vienna, the site presents medical teaching history rather than active clinical services.

What to See#

• Josephinum collections: The building houses a preserved historical collection of anatomical models, surgical instruments and teaching material that belong to the medical faculty currently occupying the site.
• Original purpose: The Josephinum building dates from the late 18th century and was purpose-built for surgical education commissioned by the Habsburg ruler who reformed medical training.

Located in Vienna’s outer historic districts; nearest major transit depends on the building’s exact site. From Vienna city center, take U-Bahn lines or tram services that head outward and allow 20-40 minutes by public transit depending on starting point. Taxis and ride-hail are straightforward in Vienna.

• Check ahead for guided tours run by the Medical University of Vienna - they sometimes open rooms not normally accessible to the public.
• Allow time to look for engraved plaques and Latin inscriptions; small details (like drill marks on old surgical benches) reward a slow eye.
• Combine the visit with a short walk through the surrounding historic quarter; the building sits in a dense patch of 18th-19th century architecture.