April 10, 2017 (Wattens, Austria)
Grant’s aunt was visiting Europe and had plans to tour Swarovski Crystal Worlds just half an hour outside of Innsbruck. Because we hadn’t been there yet, and had seen ads around town, we thought it would be fun to join her.
There is a shuttle bus that leaves from the main train station in town and it runs about every two hours. It’s not free. Expect to pay about 9 Euros for a round-trip ticket. We got to Swarovski Crystal Worlds at 9:10 and had some spare time before Grant’s aunt’s arrival, so we took a look around the entrance and took some photos:
The garden surrounding the Crystal Worlds building was nice and tranquil with a smattering of metal modern art sculptures placed here and there along the walking path. The most interesting is the “crystal clouds” displayed near a mirror pond. These “clouds” are embedded with medium-sized tear drop crystals that create beautiful, sparkling rainbows when the sun shines directly on them. We were lucky that the sun was out when we were walking around, as we could see the sparkling crystals beckoning us from a distance.
Because we were there early, and most of the people had decided to check out the Crystal Worlds building first, we had the garden all to ourselves. So we decided to explore every part of it, including the children’s play area, which was newly done, and looked like it would be super fun for a kid. We got permission to take pictures:
Continuing our walk, there is a mini-garden that’s on a slight hill full of alpine plants and there is a viewing platform where one can see the entire hand maze:
We entered the Crystal Worlds building. We weren’t sure what to expect but the first room kind of sets the tone for what’s to follow. The first room is a mechanical display with a mannequin pulled apart, exposing little crystals lining the inside, and “dancing” crystal-studded clothes. Please see our video for a more detailed tour.
One of the most elegant displays was a crystal pine tree, denoting a snow-covered Christmas tree. This display had been created and placed in a hotel lobby and was later moved here.
Here are other things we experienced:
At the end, just before the store, there is a glass display of various crystal-studded clothing and accessories as well as a brief history of the company and its founders.
Before we came, Grant and I were expecting a history of the company, a demonstration of the process of crystal-making, and possibly a tour of the factory itself (which is on the lot next to Swarovski Crystal Worlds). But the reality is very different. The exhibits ranged from the beautiful to the bizarre and some of it conjured up feelings of a dystopia, melting together symbols from the Bible, different cultures, the occult, pop culture, nature, and singularity.
It’s almost completely a modern art exhibition using crystals and lights. And from this perspective, it is actually well done. It’s a world that immerses the visitor in lights, 3D crystal sculptures, and different fantasyscapes; and completely engages the senses of sight and sound. Some of the exhibits are interactive where you can affect the movement of light projections. So this place would appeal to kids too.
If you are into modern art (and crystals), then I think Swarovski Crystal Worlds is worth a visit. If you are expecting a factory tour and a history lesson, you will be disappointed.
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