In the small Tyrolean town of Wattens in Austria, there is a unique and one of the most frequently visited museums in the world - Swarovski Crystal Worlds ("Swarovski Crystal Worlds"). It is constantly being completed and expanded, expositions often change, surprising with new creations created by talented designers, artists and architects. In an underground fairy-tale country, the gaze of visitors reveals incredible beauty sparkling treasures of crystal, the true gifts of the wizard.
Historical reference
In 1895, Daniel Swarovski founded a crystal cutting company in Wattens. In his own way, he saw crystals, perceiving them not only as material to be processed, but also as something more, inspiring to create truly unique in beauty objects and jewelry.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds is a world famous attraction. This is a museum, theme park and art installation. Tourists from different countries come to admire the amazing creations of artists. Since the opening of the Swarovski Museum in Innsbruck (1995), over fourteen million visitors have been here.
In 2015, Swarovski celebrated its 120th anniversary. The museum was reconstructed by this date, not only the interiors of the underground labyrinths were changed, but also new items appeared: the crystal grove on the mirror surface of the Mirror Pool is simply a fabulous Play Tower playground.
How to get there
Getting to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Museum in Innsbruck is not difficult. You can take the Crystal Worlds (Kristallweltenshuttle) shuttle bus, which leaves from Innsbruck Train Station to Museumstraße and Löwenhaus in Watten.
A round-trip ticket will cost 9.50 euros (about 745 rubles). Children under 15 years old get free access. Save will help buying an Innsbruck Card in one of the travel agencies. It gives you the opportunity to use the transfer and visit the Crystal Worlds Museum for free. The cost of the card for 24 hours is 33 euros (2600 rubles), for 48 hours - 41 euros (3200 rubles).
Innsbruck Card also offers many free services and discounts, including guided city tours and shopping in stores.
Landmark of Austria
Since its opening, the Swarovski Wattens Museum has been at the top of Austria's list of the most visited attractions. In the underground halls there are paintings, sculptures and installations, unique in beauty, made by world-famous artists (Brian Eno, Nicky de Saint-Fall and others). For them, crystal is a separate art form.
Having visited the Swarovski Museum in Innsbruck, it is easy to understand why this unusual place has become so popular. Up to 700,000 visitors come here every year. For comparison: it was originally planned that this number would be two times less.
In November 2017, four more Chambers of Wonder opened at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Museum, which were created by world-famous artists, designers and architects, including Manish Arora, Andre Heller, Arik Levy, Fernando Romero.
Underground labyrinth
At the entrance to the museum there is a giant head of a giant. He seemed to lie down on a hill and watching those who enter the underground labyrinth. His eyes are made of green crystals, and a waterfall flows from his huge mouth. When creating the museum, this image was not chosen by chance. There is a legend about a mighty giant guarding underground treasures hidden in these places.
Once in the Swarovski Crystal Museum, visitors find themselves in a maze of 16 rooms. Immediately they see a huge plexiglass wall in front of them, filled with Swarovski crystals. They are perfect, they have no chips or cracks. The Jim Whiting Mechanical Theater is impressive with a man's torso and dancing pants, sparkling crystals. There are exhibits of an elephant, a tiger, a giant giant ring.
The world's largest crystal (310,000 carats, volume 40 cm) and the smallest (0.8 mm), which are in the museum, are listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Miracles for children
Not only adult travelers, but also children will love the trip to the Swarovski Museum in Innsbruck. In addition, you can play hide and seek in the park, frolic in the playground.
The Crystal Theater is captivated by unearthly beauty crystal flower angels dancing the Moon and the Sun. Walking through the halls of the museum with the most incredible installations, children can feel like they are in the fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland". Everything sparkles and shines.
The museum has workshops for children. Here they can make their own crystal creations.
Swarovski Dome
The crystal dome of the Swarovski Museum in Innsbruck is an incredible journey into the heart of the crystal. It was specially designed at Swarovski Crystal Worlds so that visitors can feel what is inside the mysterious glass. 595 mirrors cover the walls of the dome, creating a kaleidoscope with rapidly changing shapes, reflections and shades. This is real magic, fairy tale, dream, fantasy.
Under the dome light illusions are born accompanied by the beautiful music of B. Eno.
Souvenir
The museum has the largest store with a wide range of Swarovski products. Representatives of the Norwegian architectural bureau Snøhetta were involved in the development of the design with spectacular light and sound installations.
Tourists often go to the Swarovski store, as many people want to take away even a small piece of this miracle from here. Others do not buy anything, but simply admire the beautiful jewelry, vases and inlaid figurines, continuing the tour, but already through the halls of the store.
Whether to go to the Swarovski Museum, of course, is up to you. But this place is really worth it to touch the magic at least once and for a short while plunge into a fairy tale.