21 October 2015 • 7 Mins Read

Things to Do On a Psychology Trip to Vienna

Described as the cultural capital of Europe, Vienna offers many learning opportunities and its relationship with Sigmund Freud is a major reason for Psychology school trip visits.

A fascinating city where students can learn more about Freud and his family but also gain a deep understanding of the Jewish community and Holocaust, Vienna is a popular trip for Psychology students.

Sigmund Freud Museum & Tour

Known as the 'father of psychoanalysis', Sigmund Freud qualified as a doctor at the University of Vienna in 1771. His home, now a museum, is one of Vienna's most famous addresses and is well worth a visit for students of Psychology. Showcasing original furniture, including his original waiting room filled with a selection of antiques and first editions of his work, a trip to the museum will help students gain an insight into the famous mind of Freud, his cultural surroundings and the emergence of psychoanalysis.

Walking tours

Walking tours on schools trips are perfect in locations such as Vienna, as the tours here can cover topics such as Jewish Vienna and the war time Jewish ghetto whilst also providing a great opportunity for pupils to visit popular historical landmarks and museums.

Students can trace the history of the Jews in Vienna through its buildings, streets and squares, memorials and through the fate of individuals.

Plan a tailor-made city walking tour for your students visiting a host of sites from the Hofburg Imperial Palace, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Soviet War Memorial amongst many.

Plan a visit to Fool's Tower

Mental Health patients from the late 18th Century were housed here, making it Europe's oldest building for this purpose. Your guide on this 60 minute tour will introduce you to the history of this fascinating spherical building and its use to house the mentally ill, which at the time was a turning point for the way society felt towards now people being categorised in this way. The building is now home to the Federal Pathologic- Anatomical Museum, which may also be of interest to explore as it displays the history of medicine in a fascinating way.

Jewish Museums and Synagogue Tours

Combine trips to the Jewish Museum, Dorotheergasse, Judenplatz Museum and Holocaust Memorial and Stadttempel Synagogue into a half day tour.

Enjoy an informative guided tour of permanent exhibitions "Unsere Stadt!" (Our City!) which gives a comprehensive insight into Jewish life, and the history of Jewish Vienna. Visit showrooms on medieval Jewry, in a virtual tour through 14th century Vienna and the excavations of a medieval synagogue.

Mauthausen and Linz

Plan a trip to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp where 100,000 prisoners lost their lives. A two hour guided tour will bring to light the harrowing tale of this Category III camp.

A visit to the camp will allow pupils to see the surviving historical buildings and installations, the stone quarry with the 'Stairs of Death', more than 20 national monuments and the new permanent exhibitions as well as the new memorial room.

*Please note this tour is only available to children aged 14+.

Linz: Where Hitler grew up

Your coach will leave Mauthausen and make the 30 minute journey to Linz, a former European Capital of Culture and where Adolf Hitler spent most of his youth before moving to Vienna.

As well as seeing notable sites such as the balcony where Hitler proclaimed the Greater German Reich, Linz is a beautiful and relaxed city with good shopping, museums and is perfect for groups to explore.

Josephinum Medical Museum Psychology Tour 

Part of the Medical University of Vienna, this museum can offer tours delving into Vienna's Medical and cultural past and considers the development of medical teaching, ophthalmology, hygiene, brain function, surgery, pathology, blood grouping and more.

Other trips include a visit to the house of musical genius Wolfgang Amadé Mozart, in a unique setting in the heart of Vienna close to St Stephan's Cathedral.

Students can take a tour of the Imperial Palace, which until 1918 was inhabited by the imperial family. Today, the Imperial Palace houses the office of the President of Austria as well as an important congress centre and numerous art collections. 

Another popular sight to see when visiting the beautiful city is the Belvedere Palace. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape and also house the Belvedere museum, where groups can explore the beautiful buildings and stunning gardens.