The Imperial Vienna’s history was taken to a new level. A permanent exhibition was installed in a corridor of the hotel.
While the book about the history of the hotel is a best-selling item at the hotel’s souvenir shop, now people can enjoy the key dates of the hotels rich history (from 1860s), together with elegantly presented illustrations.
Elegant large scale photography presents the contemoirary hotel as well as its most important moments in history.
‘We need to communicate. People like to know where they are and what had happened here,’ says historian Carola Augustin, who was one of the curators of the show. ‘We have killed a few birds with one stone: the empty corridor is an attractive venue now, people spend a lot of time here, a 20 minutes movie about the most important guests and historical events covers all questions and we created a space to disply material from the hotel’s archives.’ she adds.

General manager Klaus Christandl: ‘It is a blessing! Our guests love it, some spend up to 30 minutes there. They are entertained, enjoy the exhibition and the virtual guestbook. It gives them a sense of place and history. And the corridor has taken on a new meaning: “The Path of History” in every respect!’

Head concierge Michael Moser, who is the keeper of the archives of the hotel, confirms: ‘Guests love it and spend actually a lot of time there.’

This is a museum, part real, part virtual, with a collection of photographs, timelines and facsimiles, preciously presented behind museum glass.
In specially designed vitrines unique showpieces meet digital elements like a virtual guestbook (a 20 minutes loop containing notable moments of the hotels history). IMPERIAL INFOTAINMENT at its best!

Idea: Michael Moser, Sebastian Hackert, Petra Engl-Wurzer and team.
Under the management of Riccardo Giacometti
Executive Assistant: Daniela Stoppel
Presented under General Manager Klaus Christandl
Installed by Carola and Andreas Augustin
Based on the book HOTEL IMPERIAL by Andreas Augustin