Paying a Visit to the Wiener Volksbildungsverein

On January 22, 1887, the branch entitled “Wien und Umgebung” of the “Allgemeiner Niederösterreichischer Volksbildungsverein” was founded. In 1893 it became independent under the name “Wiener Volksbildungsverein“ and had a dense network of reading halls and also developed extensive lecture activities on various scientific, general and vocational topics. The mostly popular scientific lectures were initially held in rooms and halls in various public buildings in the city. Then on January 22, 1911 a special “Volksbildungshaus” was opened in Stöbergasse 11 in Vienna’s 5th District, which not only housed modern equipped lecture halls, scientific rooms, a library and a microscope room, but also an astronomical observatory on the roof.