The Empress, newly staged: How the Sisi Museum grows and reinvents itself

The Sisi Museum, dedicated to the enigmatic Empress Elisabeth, is undergoing a comprehensive redesign and expansion, preparing to welcome visitors to a newly reimagined experience starting November 19. The iconic portraits of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph by Franz Xaver Winterhalter have already been moved to their new location within the Hofburg Palace's Alexander Apartments, marking the beginning of the transformation.

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The iconic portraits of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph by Franz Xaver Winterhalter have already been moved to their new location, in the Alexander Apartments in the Hofburg.

The museum, which opened in 2004, is embarking on an early repositioning strategy planned by the Schönbrunn Group, the entity overseeing the palace. A key objective is to establish a fully accessible tour route encompassing the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Silver Collection (currently closed for renovation). This integrated ticket will grant access to all three attractions. Notably, the new layout will include a much-needed cloakroom, addressing the current inconvenience and potential security risks posed by visitors carrying jackets, backpacks, and luggage.

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When the Sisi Museum was established 22 years ago, our collection was still relatively small.

Anna Mader-Kratky, head of the scientific department at the Schönbrunn Group, explained that the museum's current presentation is no longer considered contemporary. "When the Sisi Museum was established 22 years ago, our collection was still relatively small," she stated. Through the acquisition of a significant private collection and numerous other purchases, the museum now boasts the world's largest collection dedicated to Elisabeth.

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Through the acquisition of a very large private collection and many other purchases, we now have the world's largest Elisabeth collection.

Michael Wohlfart, the museum's curator since 2020, noted that the original designer, the late stage designer Rolf Langenfass, "over-staged the museum very heavily" with sets and scenic displays due to the initial lack of objects. While new items were incorporated, they were often overshadowed by the elaborate staging. The new Sisi Museum aims to shift this focus. "It's no longer about the staging," Mader-Kratky emphasized. "The objects will be in the foreground. The exhibition architecture will recede accordingly and support the presentation in this way." Wohlfart added that many exhibits, including a portrait of the Empress in a black dress by Leopold Horowitz painted in 1899, after her death, will be displayed for the first time. The museum is also expanding significantly, adding twelve new state rooms previously used by the Federal Chancellery, increasing its exhibition space by 700 square meters.

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We have the world's largest Elisabeth collection.