The Experience of Tyrol in Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck has a new and unique attraction for visitors: Experience Tirol. I’ve found out exactly what it is and what you can experience there. My family and I visited this destination, located right in the city center, inside the Kaufhaus Tyrol department store on Maria-Theresien-Straße. So, what exactly is Experience Tirol? It’s a truly special one hour-long experience . It’s difficult to describe. It’s one of Innsbruck’s attractions, but it’s not a building or a museum. It’s a blend of VR cinema, film installations, holograms and
immersive experiences. Experience Tirol is a one-of-a-kind destination. You’ll be completely immersed in the stories told, engaging all your senses. But just keep reading, and you’ll get a sense of our experience and what to expect on your visit.
5 rooms – 5 different experiences
Behind the ticket counter, we enter the first room along with the other visitors . Here, we are greeted by the Gruber family – as
holograms on a semi-transparent screen. A really cool idea. Father Gruber and daughter Anna welcome us and guide us through all the rooms. From their perspective, we gain an impression of the land, people, landscape, and culture of Tyrol. After an introduction to the family’s personal, current story – I won’t reveal any more than that – we proceed to the second room.
VR-experience in the Experience of Tirol Innsbruck
Now it’s time to put on the VR headsets and take a seat in the large cinema seats . We’re about to be taken on a journey through time , right across the history of Tyrol. It all starts with the first known Tyrolean – Ötzi, the Iceman. He was found in the Ötztal Alps, on the border between South Tyrol and Tyrol. From Ötzi, we move on to the late Middle Ages: One of the most important figures in Tyrol was Emperor Maximilian I. We’re sitting in a carriage, which feels incredibly realistic through the VR headset. The carriage takes us through the old town of Innsbruck. I didn’t even realize I was sitting next to the Emperor until I looked around a bit. It was quite funny when he suddenly appeared next to me because I turned my head. You should definitely do that on your tour – keep looking around. That’s the special thing about VR headsets: the virtual world surrounds you in 360°. It gives you the impression of being right in the middle of that era.
The next special figure is Andreas Hofer . With the famous Tyrolean freedom fighter, we stand on the battlefield against the Bavarians and Napoleon at Bergisel . Then we jump to the present day: The construction of the Brenner motorway was a major milestone in Tyrolean history, and we drive along the newly built road. The visual impressions are enhanced by additional effects , such as a slight
breeze or a jolt in the seat. This way, you’re truly immersed in the experience.
Tyrolean traditions and Tyrolean art experience
In the third room, Anna and her father open their photo album for us. Again as holograms, and with many photos and animated clips, they show us their experiences throughout the year and their respective Tyrolean customs. The journey takes us through the year, from typical carnival parades and customs to the Imst Schemenlauf (a masked procession ). Anna also fondly recalls the Easter traditions. We learn about the making of palm crosses with their attached pretzels , a special celebration in Tyrol before Easter. The summer solstice is another beautiful time in Tyrol, with its enormous mountain bonfires . And what would Tyrol be without its
cattle drives down from the alpine pastures ? We see pictures of these as well. Finally, there are the snow-covered mountains at
Christmastime , complete with Christmas trees and carolers.
Father Gruber is a great art lover and connoisseur. In the fourth room, he guides us through Tyrolean art history , showing us selected paintings and explaining them in detail. While we sit comfortably on large upholstered benches, the paintings are projected onto the walls. Special features are highlighted, and details of the paintings are explained. This way, even art novices like ourselves can better understand the paintings. We are also briefly introduced to poets and Tyrolean musicians.
Sports and nature in the Alpine Tyrolean mountain world
We had some truly memorable experiences in the last room . In this round room, the images are projected not only onto the walls but also onto the floor . This gives the viewer the feeling of being right in the middle of the action. And that’s exactly how it is when Anna and her father take us up into the Tyrolean mountains. We hike across alpine pastures, discover the beautiful mountain lakes of Tyrol, and go sledding in winter. But we also experienced the sometimes dangerous, high-alpine landscape. And we get up close to some special sports. This way, you get incredibly close to the mountainous nature of Tyrol, and it’s no wonder this station is called the Room of Emotions .
We liked Experience Tirol that way
We couldn’t really imagine what to expect beforehand. Afterwards, we were quite overwhelmed by the experience . You get to see an incredible amount of Tyrol in just one hour. You experience the city of Innsbruck from a unique perspective, see some of Tyrol’s most beautiful places, and also learn about Tyrol’s special characteristics in terms of customs, culture, and identity. As visitors, we felt completely immersed . Firstly, we were drawn into the personal family history of the Gruber family, which runs like a thread through the rooms. You empathize with Anna as she tries to convince her father of her ideas and wishes. Secondly, the technology is impressive . The holograms are incredibly lifelike , and you’re addressed directly as a viewer .
The music, the colors, and the moving images drew us into the individual rooms. The VR experience was definitely cool. The “films” here are animated, but you’re right in the middle of a 360° landscape, which is a truly unique experience . Afterward, I had to readjust to real life for a bit. We all really enjoyed it ; it’s simply not an everyday experience, but something special. Since it’s so centrally located, you can easily combine this attraction with the sights in Innsbruck’s Old Town . Experience Tirol is wheelchair accessible .
Here you get your Tickets for the Experience of Tyrol
You can buy tickets on-site, but especially during holidays or weekends, it can get very crowded. You might have to wait. That’s why I recommend buying your tickets online in advance . You book for a specific time slot and can then simply walk in. Entry isn’t exactly cheap, but the experience justifies the price. Plus, you don’t see something like this very often. Check out the Experience Tirol website for more information. There you’ll also find all the details about current prices , opening hours , and available tickets .
–> official website Experience Tirol Innsbruck
Disclosure: This post is created in collaboration with Experience of Tyrol. Thank you for this! So, we were able to visit this special destination in Innsbruck itself and imagine. We liked it a lot, and also, therefore, like advertising for it.
Related Links:
- the Experience of Tyrol is located in the old town of Innsbruck
- discover the city centre of Innsbruck
- the Overview of the Innsbruck attractions
