Book your Imperial Carriage Museum ticket in advance to avoid the line and spend more time taking in extravagant carriages, from an elaborate black-and-gold embossed coronation landau from 1825 to an elegant 19th-century hearse, subtly decorated with painted and carved black flowers. You can also pair your visit with a tour of the nearby Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens or stop in as part of a larger Vienna guided or hop-on hop-off bus tour.
Regardless of how you visit, you won’t want to miss the collection’s headliners: two opulent golden carriages, testament to the wealth and power of the Habsburg dynasty. Marvel at the carousel made in 1742 for Empress Maria Theresia and the Imperial Carriage, built for Emperor Joseph II in 1764 and so heavily gilded that it could only be pulled by a team of eight horses at walking pace.
The Imperial Carriage Museum (Kaiserliche Wagenburg Wien) is part of the Schönbrunn Palace complex and gardens located on the outskirts of Vienna, roughly a 15-minute drive from the city’s historic center. Take the U4 underground line, tram 10 or 16, or the 10A bus to the Schönbrunn stop.
The museum is open daily but can be crowded on weekends and holidays, when visitors flock to visit the Schönbrunn Palace and its nearby sights. Stop by on a weekday morning to avoid the worst of the crowds.
Vienna’s UNESCO-listed Schönbrunn Palace complex is one of the most impressive sights in the city, and a jewel of baroque architecture. You can visit 40 of the palace’s 1,441 rooms—including the imperial apartments of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (Sisi)—and the Children’s Museum, as well as the vast palace gardens, home to the Palm House, Desert House, and zoo.
