Swarovski Kristallwelten Museum

Address: Kristallweltenstraße 1, 6112 Wattens, Tyrol, Austria

Website: https://kristallwelten.swarovski.com

Hours: Daily 9:00am-7:00pm (seasonal variations; check website)

Admission: Adult €19.50 (approx.), reduced rates for youth/children; family and combination tickets available

Swarovski Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds) is a company-run visitor attraction and contemporary art museum in Wattens, Tyrol, created by the Swarovski company in 1995. It presents a series of curated rooms and outdoor installations that explore crystal as material and motif.

The subterranean Chambers of Wonder with commissioned artworks, the distinctive grass-covered sculptural entrance known as the Giant, a large Swarovski retail space and on-site dining. The site was expanded in 2015 to add themed gardens and family facilities, increasing the outdoor route and exhibition areas.

The attraction opened in 1995 and was subject to a notable redesign and enlargement in 2015, which added new gardens, play areas and visitor facilities. Contemporary artists and designers have contributed site-specific works to the Chambers of Wonder and surrounding park.

Swarovski Kristallwelten sits in the village of Wattens in the Inn Valley, about 17 km east of Innsbruck in Tyrol. It is directly accessible from the A12 motorway and is a short drive from the town centre of Wattens.

• Opening and expansion: Opened in 1995 and significantly expanded and redesigned in 2015, the attraction combines contemporary art with the Swarovski company’s crystal production.
• Photography: Photographic access is generally allowed in public spaces but may be restricted in some installations or temporary exhibitions.

What to See#

• Chambers of Wonder: A series of indoor exhibition spaces featuring contemporary art installations that use crystal as a material or motif; each chamber is designed by different artists and designers and forms the core indoor visitor experience.
• The Giant: A grass-covered sculptural entrance known as the Giant, created during the original site design and forming the main approach into the underground galleries.
• Shop and dining: A large retail area selling Swarovski products plus a design studio and a restaurant that serve visitors on the site.
• Gardens and playgrounds: Outdoor parkland with themed gardens and playgrounds added during a major 2015 expansion that enlarged the visitor route and family facilities.

From Innsbruck: take the regional train to Hall in Tirol or Wattens; Wattens-Kristallwelten station is a short walker or bus hop from the site. Driving: A12/E45 motorway to the Wattens exit; Kristallweltenstraße is signposted from the town center. The complex is about 20 minutes by car from Innsbruck city center.

• Buy timed-entry tickets online to avoid the busiest mid-morning crowds.
• Enter through the Giant's mouth early: the first rooms are far less crowded and the light on the crystal installations is best.
• Combine the visit with the Swarovski Outlet across the plaza and the small café inside the garden for a full afternoon.
• Wear a light layer - the Chambers of Wonder inside are dim and cool compared with the Tyrolean sun.