The first thing I saw when I entered the Sisi Museum in Vienna wasn’t a ball gown or a portrait — it was Elisabeth’s death mask. That’s how this museum starts: with the ending. It’s a deliberate, rather unsettling choice that immediately signals this isn’t the sanitised fairytale you may have seen in films. Over 300 personal items fill six rooms in the Hofburg Palace, and what emerges is a portrait of a woman who spent her entire adult life trying to escape the gilded cage she’d married into at sixteen.
Quick overview
A ticket to the Sisi Museum costs €20 for adults and €12 for children (ages 6-18), and automatically includes admission to the Imperial Apartments — you cannot visit one without the other. Children under 6 enter free. The museum is open daily from 9:00am to 5:30pm, including public holidays, with last admission at 4:30pm. Audio guides in thirteen languages are included. The entrance is under the Michaelerkuppel dome at Michaelerplatz.
At a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €20 adults / €12 children | Daily 9:00am – 5:30pm | Michaelerplatz, 1010 Vienna | Under 6 | 4:30pm |
How much does the Sisi Museum cost?
The standard ticket includes both the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments for €20 (adults) or €12 (children ages 6-18). There’s no option to visit the Sisi Museum separately — the single ticket covers both attractions. Students aged 19-25 pay €18 with valid student ID.
| Ticket type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €20 | Ages 19+ |
| Child | €12 | Ages 6-18 |
| Student | €18 | Ages 19-25 with valid student ID (ISIC) |
| Child under 6 | Free | Under 6 years |
| Disability discount | Available | With valid ID at ticket desk |
For those planning multiple visits, the Sisi Pass combines the Sisi Museum/Imperial Apartments, Schönbrunn Palace, and the Vienna Furniture Museum for €57 (adults) or €37 (children), saving 25% over individual tickets.
What’s changed: The Imperial Silver Collection, previously included with your ticket, has been closed since April 2023 for redesign work. Some visitor routes through the Sisi Museum have also been modified during ongoing renovations, though all exhibits remain on display.
Five great things to do while you’re in Vienna
- Take a guided bike tour through the Old City and along the Danube.
- Enjoy a classical music concert at St Peter’s Church.
- Taste gruner veltliners and much more on a wine tour through the Weinviertel region.
- See the World Heritage-listed sights of the Wachau Valley on a super-scenic day trip.
- Explore Vienna’s food scene in café’s and markets with an expert guide.
Is the Sisi Museum free to enter?
No. Entry to the Sisi Museum requires a paid ticket. Children under 6 receive free admission. Companions of visitors with disabilities may enter free with appropriate documentation. There are no free admission days, reduced evening hours, or other complimentary access periods.
Vienna Pass holders receive free entry. Vienna City Card holders receive 7% off the ticket price.
What time does the Sisi Museum open?
The Sisi Museum is open daily from 9:00am to 5:30pm, including public holidays. These hours apply year-round.
Last admission is at 4:30pm. Visitors can remain in the Sisi Museum until 5:00pm and in the Imperial Apartments until 5:30pm after entry. The ticket office closes at 4:30pm.
If you arrive after 4:00pm, you’ll feel rushed. Budget at least 90 minutes for a proper visit to both the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments — history enthusiasts should allow two hours.
These Sisi Museum ticket prices and opening hours were checked and verified in January 2026.
Why book the Vienna Pass for sightseeing?
- Free entry to top attractions: Visit dozens of Vienna’s must-see museums, palaces, churches and cultural sites without paying separate admission fees.
- Hop-on hop-off bus included: Use the sightseeing bus service to explore the city at your own pace with panoramic views and easy access to key stops.
- Flexible pass durations: Choose from 1-, 2-, 3- or 6-day options to suit your travel plans and how much you want to see.
- Mobile ticket convenience: Use your pass on your phone with digital entry to attractions — no printing or queuing required.
- Extra savings and discounts: Enjoy special offers at partner tours, restaurants and experiences throughout Vienna.
Do I need to book Sisi Museum tickets in advance?
Yes, strongly recommended. Tickets have fixed admission times, and if you arrive late, your ticket becomes invalid. During busy periods (April to October, weekends, public holidays), time slots sell out entirely.
Book online through the official site to guarantee your preferred time. On-the-day tickets can be purchased at the ticket desk if available, but expect long queues during peak season.
Warning: Some visitors report fake ticket websites charging inflated prices. Only purchase from imperialtickets.com or the on-site ticket office.
A brief history
The Sisi Museum opened in 2004, marking what would have been Empress Elisabeth’s 167th birthday. It’s housed in the Hofburg Palace’s Stephan Apartments, named after Archduke Stephan Viktor. The museum was created to counteract the romanticised myth perpetuated by films — the three Sissi movies starring Romy Schneider turned Elisabeth into a fairytale princess, which wasn’t remotely accurate.
In 2006, the collection expanded with 240 new pieces, including Elisabeth’s travelling medicine chest, christening robe, and a milk tooth. Further renovations in 2009 added clothing pieces such as the black coat used to cover her body after her assassination.
Elisabeth was born in 1837 in Bavaria and married Emperor Franz Joseph in 1854 at just sixteen. What started as a whirlwind romance quickly soured as the rigid Habsburg court stifled her free spirit. She rebelled by travelling constantly, obsessing over beauty and fitness, and withdrawing from public life. In 1898, an Italian anarchist stabbed her in Geneva — a death that transformed her into the tragic icon she remains today.
What you’ll see inside
The museum’s layout is deliberately unconventional. Instead of a chronological timeline, it explores themes that defined Elisabeth’s contradictory personality. Designed by set designer Rolf Langenfass, the six rooms are inspired by Elisabeth’s own poetry.
Room 1: Death — You begin with her death mask, funeral wreath ribbons, and the black velvet coat with egret feathers that covered her body after the assassination. It’s a jarring start, but it works.
Room 2: The Myth — This examines how Elisabeth became a legend after her death. Film clips, commemorative statues, and newspaper clippings show how her image was commercialised. The Habsburg monarchy used her beauty as propaganda; businesses sold Sisi souvenirs.
Room 3: Childhood — Here you’ll find items from her carefree Bavarian upbringing: her childhood harp, drawings, handwritten poems, and personal keepsakes. This was before court life crushed her independence.
Room 4: At Court — Reconstructions of her wedding dress and Hungarian coronation gown are displayed alongside the famous Winterhalter portraits showing her with diamond stars in her hair. One of the original stars (containing thirty diamonds and a pearl) is exhibited. You’ll also see her six-piece mourning jewellery in onyx and jet, worn after Crown Prince Rudolf’s suicide in 1889.
Room 5: Flight — This section focuses on her obsession with travel and escape. A full reconstruction of her luxurious railway saloon car is displayed, along with travel journals, riding gear, and her 63-piece medicine chest (which contained cocaine, then valued for its clinical properties). Replica gymnastics equipment — wall bars, rings, balance beams — illustrates her extreme fitness regime.
Room 6: Assassination — The final room includes newspaper reports, police records, and the blood-stained silk blouse she wore when stabbed. The small fan with the puncture mark from the assassin’s stiletto is particularly chilling.
Throughout, audio guides provide detailed commentary. The museum doesn’t glorify Elisabeth — it presents her as deeply troubled, vain yet withdrawn, living life intensely yet perpetually unfulfilled.
What’s included with your ticket?
- Admission to all six rooms of the Sisi Museum
- Full access to the nineteen-room Imperial Apartments
- Audio guide in thirteen languages (or printed descriptions)
- Access to over 300 personal items belonging to Elisabeth
- Exhibitions of her clothing, beauty products, letters, and exercise equipment
- Information about her life, poetry, and assassination
Not included: The Imperial Silver Collection (closed), Spanish Riding School, Imperial Treasury, or any other Hofburg museums.
Things to do near the Sisi Museum
Spanish Riding School (76m, 1-minute walk) — Watch legendary Lipizzaner stallions perform in the Baroque Winter Riding Hall. Morning training sessions and gala performances available.
Imperial Treasury (150m, 2-minute walk) — Houses the Austrian Imperial Crown, Holy Roman Empire regalia, and priceless religious relics including the Holy Lance.
Austrian National Library State Hall (178m, 2-minute walk) — One of the world’s most beautiful libraries, with Baroque frescoes and 200,000 historic volumes.
Albertina Museum (340m, 4-minute walk) — Contains masterpieces of classical Modernism and one of the world’s most important graphic art collections. Works by Dürer, Monet, and Klimt.
St Stephen’s Cathedral (750m, 9-minute walk) — Vienna’s Gothic masterpiece.
Mozarthaus Vienna and the House of Music are within easy walking distance. Elsewhere in Vienna, cultural options include the Belvedere Palace, Hundertwasserhaus, and the Museum of Art Fakes. Less intense are the tempting food huts of the Naschmarkt and the enormous Prater park in Leopoldstadt.
Practical tips
- Location: Michaelerplatz, 1010 Vienna (entrance under the Michaelerkuppel dome)
- Getting there: U3 (orange line) to Herrengasse station (200m walk). Trams 1, 2, D, and 71 to Burgring. Buses 1A and 2A to Hofburg/Michaelerplatz.
- Time needed: 90 minutes minimum for both attractions. Budget two hours if you’re particularly interested in Habsburg history.
- Photography: Generally permitted, but flash, tripods, and selfie sticks are prohibited. Some areas may have additional restrictions.
- Dress code: None specified. Comfortable walking shoes recommended.
- Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible via lifts and ramps. Wheelchair-accessible toilets available.
- Crowds: Mornings (9:00am-11:00am) are quietest. Afternoon slots fill rapidly during peak season. Weekdays are calmer than weekends.
- No storage: No luggage storage facilities. Large bags and suitcases prohibited inside.
- Guided tours: Daily guided tours available in German (11:30am, 3:30pm), English (2:00pm), and Italian (high season only). Book separately.
FAQs
Can I visit just the Sisi Museum without the Imperial Apartments? No. A single ticket covers both attractions — you cannot purchase separate admission. The route takes you through the Sisi Museum first, then the Imperial Apartments.
Is the audio guide included? Yes, free audio guides are included in thirteen languages (German, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Czech, and others), or printed descriptions depending on availability.
Can I buy tickets on the day? Yes, at the ticket desk under the Michaelerkuppel, but availability isn’t guaranteed during busy periods. Online booking through imperialtickets.com is strongly recommended.
How long does it take to visit? Most visitors spend 60-90 minutes exploring both the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments. Allow two hours if you want to read all exhibition information and listen to the complete audio guide.
What happened to the Silver Collection? The Imperial Silver Collection has been closed since April 2023 for redesign work. No reopening date has been announced. Your ticket no longer includes access to this collection.
Are there lockers or luggage storage? No. The Hofburg has no luggage storage facilities. You’ll need to store bags at your accommodation before visiting.
Is Elisabeth buried in the Hofburg? No. Elisabeth is buried in the Imperial Crypt (Kaisergruft) beneath the Capuchin Church, about 400 metres away. Her sarcophagus lies between her husband Franz Joseph and son Rudolf. Separate admission required (around €8).
More Austria travel
Other Austria travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Vienna to Ljubljana: Direct train vs indirect train vs bus.
- Vienna to Salzburg train times and ticket prices.
- Linz travel guide for first time visitors.
- A practical guide to visiting Melk Abbey.
- Guide to Innsbruck’s Hofkirche and Hofburg.
