V ienna is famous for many things, and anyone looking for a typical Viennese gift will quickly find what they are looking for. But if you’re in the mood for something more original than the typical Manner wafers, or if you’re a local who wants to learn something new about your own city, then a visit to this traditional factory is well worth it. Add a visit to the snow globe workshop and museum to your bucket list for the year, because here you can experience history, learn more about how Viennese snow globes are made, and even purchase one for yourself.
Erwin Perzy’s glass ball with snow effect
Photo: Natalie/Unsplash
It is not known exactly when the first snow globe was invented. However, towards the end of the 19th century, it happened more or less by chance that the Viennese surgical instrument mechanic Erwin Perzy experimented with a cobbler’s ball while attempting to create a particularly bright light source. These balls were filled with water and were used to focus and intensify candlelight.
Perzy mixed glass shavings into the water to reflect the light and amplify it even more. The falling shavings reminded him of snow, which inspired him to create the snow globe. He added semolina to the water and placed a model of a church, which a friend of his had made, inside the globe. The first “glass ball with snow effect, “ as Perzy called his invention, was born, and he patented it. He then founded his snow globe factory in 1900, which still exists in Vienna today and sells the Vienna snow globe.
The original Vienna snow globe today
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The snow globe factory is still owned by the Perzy family, now in its fourth generation. The Vienna snow globe with its characteristic black base is still made by hand here. You can purchase the pieces online, choosing from snow globes ranging from 25 to 120 millimeters. The globes are made of glass rather than polystyrene and are filled with pure Vienna spring water.
In addition to the approximately 350 motifs from the standard repertoire, you also have the option of ordering custom-made items. In the past, the snow globes have also made repeated appearances in film and television, such as in “Edward Scissorhands,” “Citizen Kane,” and “Home Alone.” In addition, there is a room at the Hotel Donauwalzer that was designed by the Perzy family, with snow globes as lamps and door handles.
If you want to learn more about the manufacturing process, you can visit the snow globe factory yourself. You can visit the workshop and the small museum every Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pieces from the history of the Viennese snow globe are presented here in a 50 square meter space. You can then purchase a globe as a souvenir in the sales room.
📍 Location: Schumanngasse 87, 1170 Vienna
🕐 Opening hours: Mon-Thu, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.