CultureGrams Database

Miss traveling and want to learn more about the world? Check out one of our databases, CultureGrams! I am going to use this resource to highlight a country I am interested in, Austria

For a tutorial check out website for a complete breakdown of the database, as well as creating online accounts with the library. You can find the CultureGrams tutorial here!

CultureGrams is a great resource for finding out about different countries. This database highlights several different aspects of culture such as history, the people, customs, lifestyle, and society. Austria is a country I have always wanted to visit, mostly due to my intense love of The Sound of Music, great food and beautiful mountains that seem to have classical music singing from them.

With the database I was able to learn about the impact of war on Austria, the way that Vienna became a key place for the United Nations to meet, and the growing sense of nationalism.

Kolatche is a common pastry, elbows on the table are considered impolite and coffeehouses are common and enjoyed!

Through the section devoted to the arts I was able to learn more about the role that classical music has played for Austria. For example it says that,

“The names Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, Beethoven, and Brahms (who all composed in Vienna), as well as Wolf, Mahler, and others, attest to Austria’s musical heritage. The Vienna State Opera, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, and the Salzburg Festival are four of many music institutions that enjoy worldwide fame.”

Take a look at this incredible symphony below!

All in all, CultureGrams is a great resource to learn about the world. There are sections of the site dedicated to the World, the USA, Provinces and specifically designed for kids. Please enjoy and travel from home!