The Swarovski crystals world is a museum-and-garden dedicated to the art of crystal, and celebrates in a very glittering way the company from Wattens. Yes, because the Swarovski crystals world is located half an hour’s drive away from Innsbruck . You can travel there by car or public transport, or else take the Swarovski shuttle bus, which leaves five times a day from Innsbruck main station and the Kongresshaus. It is not free, but it is included in the Innsbruck Card.
Your kids will love the exhibit and, after that, they will have a blast in one of the most amazing playgrounds I have ever seen: the on-site Swarovski playground and playtower!
The Swaroski giant and the 17 chambers of wonder
As you enter the Swarovski garden, you will see the head of a giant covered in a grass mantle, with eyes made of crystal and a cascade of water flowing from the giant’s mouth. This is the entry to the sparkling 17 underground chambers of wonders of the Swarovski Crystals World, where artists, architects and designers interpret crystal in their own unique way. The rooms – all equally beautiful – will leave you breathless.
Which rooms did we like? Firstly the Blue Hall. You have the feeling to be inside a cave where the walls are painted in International Klein Blue. Here you can admire real masterpieces: one of the famous Salvador Dali clocks, a Nana by Niki de Saint Phalle and works of art by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.
The second amazing room is the Crystal Dome, where you will find yourself in the middle of a “spherical” world made of lights and reflections, thanks to 595 mirrors. Look for the 8 false mirrors that are hidden amid the real mirrors. They conceal eight objects by famous artists. We found only half of them.
The room Ready to Love has all the colors and folklore of India, mixed with the neon lights of our big cities. It was created by the Indian designer Manish Arora and it’s about love. Maybe a bit tacky, but lively and amusing, too.
Eventually we reached the large lobby/shop – and this is the only part that my son didn’t like. He would have liked something, but (luckily!) he found all the objects too feminine. He searched and found nothing! Then he noticed a case with some Star Wars characters, including a Stormtrooper and Darth Vader. “Mom, can you buy it ?”. We looked at the price: over 25,000 €. Sorry, son – not this time!
The garden of the Swarovski Crystals World
This garden is a magical place, full of glittering crystals, contemporary art and – for children – also a play park. The most important element is the installation called Crystal Cloud, which looks like a forest covered with gems (800,000) overlooking a Mirror Pool.
This cloud was designed by Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot, and is surrounded by soothing sound effects. We visited the garden during the day, but we were told us that, when the sun sets, the entire park looks magical. I would have liked to rest a bit by the cloud but the playground and play tower are located right nearby and my son was eager to play – as a result, the relaxing effect of the cloud faded away instantly.
The play tower and playground
Your children will touch heaven in the play tower and in the play area. The tower is an indoor playground spreading over four levels, where kids have the time of their lives. There is a toboggan and a nice and polished wooden surface where they can slide. They can enjoy games of balance, trampolines and even some small wall games for toddlers.
The main attraction of the play tower is the 14-meter-high climbing net: it connects the ground floor to the uppermost floor, with exits on two floors in between. There’s a minimum age of 48 months old for the net. Non-skid socks are mandatory but you can borrow a pair for free at the entrance.
The outdoor play area is just as much fun as the indoor tower. You can find a labyrinth in the form of a hand, with the path lined by hedges: climb up the viewing platform before you venture inside and study the route you want to take. Then go and get lost (everyone does).
What else? Enjoy the horizonal 25-meter-long climbing route (it looks easy but in fact it is not). Finally have fun on the slide and on the dozen or so twisty wooden ball runs, which were my son’s favorite outdoor attraction. You can purchase the large wooden balls for 1 euro from a vending machine.
If you plan to visit Innsbruck with children, read our article about what to see and do in this amazing Austrian city.
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