Klo & So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects

Everybody does it every day, and still, it is kind of a spicy topic: using the toilet. In Gmunden, Austria, Fritz Lischka decided to point out the fascinating and interesting aspects of the practice of using a toilet bowl instead. That’s why it’s now possible to find oneself surrounded by a variety of historic toilet bowls ranging from neatly painted bowls to jerrys to very sophisticated solutions like the toilet chair that blends with the personal bookshelf.

Gmunden is known for its 500 year-long history of creating beautiful ceramic products. Consequently, Fritz Lischka, a former manager at the Laufen company, a worldwide successful producer of sanitary ceramics, started a collection of historic toilet bowls. Since 1988, the collection has been open to the public.

The exhibition is fairly small, but the museum is absolutely worth a visit. In addition to the production of toilets, urinals, and sinks, the museum also explores the evolution of hygiene standards over time. It is a specialty in the city of Gmunden, seemingly mostly visited by tourists in order to marvel at the beautiful landscape of the Traunsee and the mountains surrounding it.