Augarten Porcelain Manufactory (Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten)

The basics

Visit the Augarten Porcelain Manufactory (Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten) as a stop on a Vienna hop-on-hop-off bus tour or sightseeing Flexi Pass in Vienna, joining the guided tours offered by the manufacturing complex. One wing of the factory houses the Augarten Porcelain Museum, where visitors can see one of the company’s original kilns stretching across both floors of exhibition space. The upper floors are dedicated to galleries illustrating the history of Augarten and Viennese porcelain, with more than 150 pieces on display to show the evolution of the art over the years; hands-on displays let visitors touch samples of the porcelain ingredients kaolin (clay), feldspar (stone), and quartz. The first floor of the museum focuses on the company’s modern porcelain making through the 20th and 21st centuries.

Things to know before you go

• Augarten Porcelain has been made and painted by hand for three centuries, and a visit here is interesting for history buffs and porcelain aficionados alike.
• Pieces of fine china can be purchased at the factory shop or from the flagship store in downtown Vienna.
• Visit the factory and museum with a 1-hour guided morning tour in English and German offered by the complex.
• The factory and museum also have a small café for drinks and snacks.
• The museum is accessible to wheelchairs; some parts of the guided factory tour may not be fully accessible, so confirm in advance.

How to get there

The Augarten Porcelain Manufactory (Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten) is located in the former imperial Augarten palace in the vast baroque park of the same name. Take metro line 2 to the Taborstrasse station to reach the factory and museum.

When to get there

Guided morning tours of the factory and museum are offered from Monday through Thursday, which do not need to be booked in advance. The museum and factory are located indoors, so are a good choice for taking a break from the cold in winter and the heat in summer.

Augarten’s Most Iconic Porcelain

Augarten has released more than 25,000 products designed by artists and artisans over the past 300 years, but the two most famous patterns are arguably the Viennese Rose from the Biedermeier period and the Melon service, created by Josef Hoffmann in 1929. Both are on display in the porcelain museum.