First Sound of Music Museum Opens in Salzburg

Salzburg has opened the first museum devoted to The Sound of Music and the real von Trapp family that inspired the musical and 1965 film. Located at 17th-century Hellbrunn Palace, one of the movie’s filming sites, the museum features nearly 450 items, including props, costumes, posters, recordings and the gazebo associated with “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” The exhibition aims to distinguish the family’s history from Hollywood’s fictionalized version, including its portrayal of Georg von Trapp as a strict father rather than a considerate but burdened parent. Elisabeth von Trapp, granddaughter of Georg and Agathe, attended the opening and highlighted her family connection, noting that her father Werner was portrayed as Kurt in the film.