Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)
19 days ago
Edward Payson Weston
How the 6-Day Race Became an American Spectator Obsession
20 days ago
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
23 days ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Austria Salzburg The World of Puppets Museum
AO Edited

The World of Puppets Museum

A small marionette collection located within the dark cellars of an 11th-century Austrian castle.

Salzburg, Austria

Added By
Mad Cope
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Marionettes.   maddy92 / Atlas Obscura User
Marionettes.   maddy92 / Atlas Obscura User
Marionettes.   James Jones/CC BY 2.0
The museum.   Razvan Orendovici/CC BY 2.0
Marionettes.   maddy92 / Atlas Obscura User
  chriswal2 / Atlas Obscura User
Marionettes depicting the trick fountain at Schloss Hellbrunn   kebbers / Atlas Obscura User
Entrance to the museum   markcoen / Atlas Obscura User
Demon puppets   neon astrolabe / Atlas Obscura User
Bodyless marionette heads   neon astrolabe / Atlas Obscura User
  shaw95 / Atlas Obscura User
  shaw95 / Atlas Obscura User
  shaw95 / Atlas Obscura User
  shaw95 / Atlas Obscura User
“Sound of Music” Marionettes at the World of Puppets   kebbers / Atlas Obscura User
Asian marionette exhibit   neon astrolabe / Atlas Obscura User
  buffycaine99 / Atlas Obscura User
  buffycaine99 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the Prince's Cellars at the Hohensalzburg Castle, you’ll find a collection of historic marionettes from the iconic Salzburg Marionette Theatre. The museum is unexpected and interesting, though viewing the stringed figures trapped within the fortress’s dark, tunnel-like basement is also a somewhat creepy experience.

The puppets are spread throughout a handful of rooms, frozen within scenes set inside glass cases. Along with the marionettes collected from the city’s famous theater, the museum also contains items from around the world. Some of the exhibits feature puppets that are hundreds of years old.

A few displays are based on musical performances like The Sound of Music and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. There are also sections that show historical episodes, like farmers squaring off against the castle walls in the peasant uprising of 1525.

Beyond admiring the historic puppets, you can even try your hand at controlling one (which is way harder than it seems). There are also some puppets for sale, should you feel compelled to take one home with you.

There’s no fee to enter and look around. It’s a small museum, made up of only a couple rooms, so a visit may last only a few minutes. The dim lighting and dungeon atmosphere add an unsettling feeling to the already unnerving puppets.

Related Tags

Puppets Theaters Museums Collections Museums And Collections Castles

Know Before You Go

This museum is in the Prince's Cellar near the top of the funicular that takes people up to the fortress. If you’re going to the fortress anyway, the marionettes are worth a quick stop. There is an option to take a “surprise” photo in the back corner of the museum, and an option to purchase photos of your reaction.

Community Contributors

Added By

maddy92

Edited By

neon astrolabe, shaw95, buffycaine99, Kerry Wolfe...

  • neon astrolabe
  • shaw95
  • buffycaine99
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • chriswal2
  • markcoen
  • kebbers

Published

October 16, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.salzburghighlights.at/de/Welt-der-Marionetten
  • https://www.salzburghighlights.at/en/WeltderMarionetten
  • http://www.visit-salzburg.net/sights/marionettemuseum.htm
The World of Puppets Museum
34 Mönchsberg
Salzburg
Austria
47.794948, 13.047658
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Almkanal of Salzburg

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

The Catacombs of St. Peter's Abbey

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

Panorama Museum Salzburg

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Salzburg

Salzburg

Austria

Places 14

Nearby Places

Almkanal of Salzburg

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

The Catacombs of St. Peter's Abbey

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

Panorama Museum Salzburg

Salzburg, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Salzburg

Salzburg

Austria

Places 14

Related Stories and Lists

These 11 Puppet Palaces Around the World Will Thrill and Terrify You

List

By Diana Hubbell

Related Places

  • Outside Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum in Boulder City, NV, with the owner’s custom hearse parked in front.

    Boulder City, Nevada

    Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum

    A professional special effects makeup artist’s collection of horror creatures and one-of-a-kind recreations on display in downtown Boulder City.

  • Portland Puppet Museum

    Portland, Oregon

    Portland Puppet Museum

    A puppeteer’s paradise offering shows, workshops, and an archive of over 2,000 puppets.

  • Terra Mineralia

    Freiberg, Germany

    Terra Mineralia

    A Saxony castle houses one of the largest and most outstanding mineral collections in the world.

  • Marionettes hanging in Trujillo’s toy museum.

    Trujillo, Peru

    Museo del Juguete

    Peru’s only toy museum houses everything from pre-Inca whistles to lead soldiers and terrifying dolls.

  • Estudi Oleguer Junyent.

    Barcelona, Spain

    Taller d'Oleguer Junyent (Oleguer Junyent's Workshop)

    The studio of Catalonia's most famous theatrical designer remains exactly as he left it.

  • Augsburger Puppenkiste Museum

    Augsburg, Germany

    Augsburger Puppenkiste

    This famed marionette theater and museum is bursting with imaginative string puppets.

  • Berlin, Germany

    Puppentheater-Museum Berlin

    Puppet theater and museum holding a collection of more than 300.

  • Taiwan has a long, proud history of puppet-making.

    Taipei, Taiwan

    Puppetry Art Center of Taipei

    A museum of puppets and puppetry covering all Asian styles.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.