Prague Museums and Galleries
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The city of Prague is one of Europe’s top destinations filled with preserved architectural gems and a variety of Prague museums and galleries worth writing home about. With art galleries in Prague opening left and right, especially in former industrial areas throughout the city, the city of one hundred spires is on the cusp of something big. Get to Prague before it explodes, and to warn you, it is very close, as Prague is no longer Europe’s best-kept secret concerning museums and galleries. Have a look the Prague museums and galleries listed below where you can find complete descriptions, photos, contact information and maps that represent all of the museums and galleries in Prague, Czech Republic. Here at Prague-Stay we are proud to feature select Prague museums and galleries that contain quality artwork and artifacts ranging from ancient times to contemporary collections.
Articles
The National Museum
THE MAIN BUILDING OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM IS CLOSED FROM JULY 7th, 2011 DUE TO RECONSTRUCTION. The biggest museum complex in the Czech Republic is the National Museum. With over 10 buildings (some located outside of Prague), the museum boasts millions of artifacts and objects from the past. The objective of the museum is to further develop national identity within the Czech lands, the continent of Europe, and the...
Prague Castle Picture Gallery
The looming omnipresence of Prague Castle casts a magical spell over Prague and its citizens. The seat of power for over a thousand years and the largest working castle in the world, this cultural sight is unforgettable and a fantastic way to become acquainted with Czech culture. Spend a day exploring the sprawling castle, you will not be disappointed, as the...
Dox Center for Contemporary Art
This exciting new art gallery located in Holesovice is a breath of much needed fresh air for the city of Prague. Opening at the beginning of October of 2008, this large independent modern gallery wowed viewers with the opening exhibition titled Welcome to Capitalism, which featured a collection of paintings and installations by Jose Maria Cano, Michael Bielicky in collaboration with Kamila Richter, and Dirk Reinbold, Matej Kren and...
Manes
Currently, the Mánes Gallery is undergoing renovations, its re-opening is scheduled for September 2013. The Manes building with its exhibition hall, opened in 1930, well known as a functionalist dream, as it is considered one of the top Functionalist buildings in Europe today, is not only famous for the design of the building, which paired with the old 15th century water tower brings an interesting blend of old...
Václava Špály Gallery
Located on bustling Narodni Street is the important Václava Špály Gallery, a private gallery that focuses on finding an understanding or link between contemporary art and the general public. This gallery goes back in history to 1957 when it was founded and named after the acclaimed and avant-garde 20th century Czech painter Václav Špála. The gallery held significant exhibitions during its so-called golden years from 1965 to 1970 when...
Veletrzni Palace - National Gallery
Prague has first-rate museums dedicated to Medieval and Classical art, but what about the more controversial Modern art? No need to worry; the city of Prague has various Modern art and Postmodern installations, private gallery openings and fine museums to feed your need of the Modern. Just take a look around as you stroll through this lovely city, even certain areas covered in colorful graffiti scream Modern art. The Veletrzni Palace,...
Museum of Czech Cubism - National Gallery
In the remarkable House of the Black Madonna designed by Josef Gocar, is a wonderful comprehensive collection of Czech Cubism. The museum is housed on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the Cubist house. The first floor showcases the exquisite Grand Cafe Orient, while the ground floor houses the interesting Kubista...
National Memorial on Vitkov Hill
Perched atop the city of Prague and opened to the public on October 29, 2009 after an extensive renovation, is the Vitkov memorial and the massive horse statue with Jan Žižka, the one-eyed warrior proudly overlooking the city of Prague. The grand off white structure has long been an interesting historical monument and cursed one at that, according to many...
Rudolfinum Gallery
The Rudolfinum Gallery is a spacious and attractive art gallery situated in the multi-purpose Rudolfinum cultural complex, which houses a gorgeous concert hall and a grand turn of the last century café. J. Schulz, who also designed the National...
Schwarzenberg Palace - National Gallery
Located inside the beautifully renovated Schwarzenberg Palace, a true Renaissance gem; is the permanent exhibition of Baroque in Bohemia. With three floors covering the Movement, this palace contains priceless Czech resources, knowledge and history. The lower level is dedicated to Baroque sculpture and intricate sketch designs for monumental altarpieces. Among some of the sculptors highlighted are Johann George Brendl,...
Lobkowicz Palace
Located in the Prague Castle Complex, the Lobkowicz Palace houses one of the most interesting private collections in Europe. Czech Nobleman Jaroslav of Pernstejn built the beautiful palace in the mid 16th century and this is where the Lobkowicz dynasty would begin. The Lobkowicz family dates back to the 14th century and they are one of the oldest Bohemian families. Over the centuries the noble family and the palace have played a significant...
Dvorak Sec Contemporary
Opened in May of 2009 Dvorak Sec Contemporary is a top Prague-based art space that is located on bustling Dlouhá Street in the center of Prague’s Old Town. The private gallery deals exclusively with young emerging talent from the United States, Great Britain, Germany and the Czech Republic as well as artists from the last 20 years that have shaped the Contemporary art field. The young and fresh critically acclaimed artists showcased...
The Golden Ring House - City Gallery Prague
Hidden on tiny Týnská street near Old Town Square is the Golden Ring House, an exhibition space of City Gallery Prague. Originally, the medieval Golden Ring House consisted of two buildings that were later merged into one. Its early Gothic period cellars and the corridor on the first floor with barrel vaulting and fragments of wall paintings from the late 15th century have been preserved until today. The Golden Ring House hosts a...
Bílek’s Villa - City Gallery Prague
In the lovely Prague Castle quarter known as Hradčany close to the Royal Summer Palace sits an Art Nouveau fairy tale villa designed by František Bílek, an architect and Art Nouveau and Symbolist sculptor. The house, which dates back to 1911, was designed by Bílek himself...
Vernon Gallery
Vernon Gallery comprises several projects whose common goals are mainly the support of young contemporary art, as well as organizing of exhibitions of classical masters. The Vernon Gallery was founded in 2001 by its director Monika Burian Jourdan with the aim of presenting to the public quality art of both contemporary and classical genres. It does so mainly at the Vernon Projekt exhibition space and at other places, as well as in...
Artbanka Museum of Young Art
A museum dedicated to contemporary young art, Artbanka Museum of Young Art (AMoYA), is one of the youngest and largest non-for-profit museums in the Czech Republic. In 2011 Artbanka opened the door of the Baroque Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace in the center of Prague, where it presents an attractive selection of young Czech and international art in more than 4,000 square meters. At the palace, where even nowadays-insensitive construction...
Bedřich Smetana Museum
Located in Old Town and situated on the Vltava River close to the world famous Charles Bridge is the Bedřich Smetana Museum. This museum is housed in a gorgeous neo Renaissance building that was formerly the Old Town Water Works. The building was constructed in 1883-4 and features a beautiful sgraffito façade designed by famous Czech painters Mikoláš Aleš and František Ženíšek that makes the building unforgettable. The city of Prague...
Troja Chateau - City Gallery Prague
The romantic Troja Chateau is home to the City Gallery Prague’s permanent exhibition ‘Eternal Summer in a Roman Villa’ and is located by a lovely bend in the Vltava River, surrounded by lovely gardens and an old vineyard. This wonderful chateau or villa was designed by Jean Baptiste Mathey upon the request of the glorious Sternberg family after Wenzel Adalbert von Sternberg embarked on his essential Grand Tour and...
Stone Sculptures from Zimbabwe – AfrickeSochy.cz
The idea to make African sculpture accessible to Czech collectors of art started in 2005 by Miroslava Sodomková. Since her tragic death in 2007 her husband Ondřej Homolka has continued in implementing this idea. Ondřej Homolka imports African stone sculptures by sculptors from Zimbabwe, mainly from the Tengenenge art community, to the Czech Republic, where he displays them under an open sky or at various galleries...
Art Gallery for Children (GUD)
A unique gallery specially designated for children can be found in the immediate vicinity of the St. Nicholas Church near the Old Town Square in Prague. The Art Gallery for Children (GUD, or Galerie umění pro děti) is dedicated to children between 2 and 13 years and its aim is to support children's relationship with art through a multimedia space where different...
St. George's Convent - National Gallery
Situated in St. George's Convent in the gorgeous complex of ancient structures that make up the Prague Castle complex is the National Gallery’s collection of 19th century art in Bohemia (from 1790 – 1910). The start of the exhibition showcases the social links between 18th century artists by comparing their works. The comparison takes place between Norbert Grund, František Xaver Procházka, Christian Seckel and Ludvík Kohl....
Kampa Museum
An eccentric contemporary collection located on the left riverbank of the Vltava, housed in the old Sova Mill, named after Vaclav Sova, the original owner in the 15th century. It should be noted that this museum is worth a visit especially for the building that has been magnificently renovated after centuries of fires, floods, and damage. On a clear day in Prague one should head to Kampa Museum on Kampa...
SVIT
The SVIT gallery opened in August 2010 and is one of the youngest Prague galleries. It is located in the courtyard of a 19th century print factory in Prague's Smíchov, only a 10-minute walk from the Anděl shopping area and the Charles Bridge. The SVIT gallery presents exhibitions of Czech and international artists and opens lively discourse about latest positions and developments in contemporary art. SVIT brings emerging Czech artists...
National Technical Museum
Located in the residential area of Prague 7 directly across from Letna Park is the National Technical Museum. This large museum is home to everything technical in the history of the Bohemian lands and holds over 58,000 objects with 15 percent of these historical artifacts on display. At the National Technical Museum you can see unique attractions such as astronomical objects from the 16th century used by Tycho Brahe himself, the first...
The Franz Kafka Museum
Franz Kafka is undeniably one of Prague’s most famous sons. Born to a German speaking family in Prague (then part of Austria-Hungry), Kafka is famous as one of the top writers of the 20th century. Paving the way for artists and authors with his influence in Existentialism and Modernism, Kafka is represented widely in the city of Prague. It is a fact that one cannot walk through the Old Town district of Prague without encountering...
Musaion Ethnographic Exhibition
Located in the lush green space of Petrin Hill and Kinsky Garden is the National Museum’s Musaion Ethnographic Exhibition. Since 2005 this exhibition has been housed in the Kinsky Summerhouse, an attractive Empire style building. The Museum focuses on the old regional culture of the Czech Republic specifically the material and spiritual, housing, village farming and habits, all of which are connected to today’s current...
Museum Montanelli
Located in the gorgeous Lesser Town district of Prague and situated on charming Nerudova Street is the privately owned and operated Museum Montanelli. Run by The DrAK Foundation, the museum’s main goal in existing is to administer and present the collections of both the DrAK Foundation and private collections. Shows are composed of monographic exhibitions of artists and group exhibitions. It is interesting to note that viewings...
Lapidary of the National Museum
Located in Holesovice and situated at the Prague exhibition fairgrounds is the Lapidary of the National Museum. The lapidary features a large collection of stone sculptures, most of which were created in Prague from the 11th century to the 19th century. The National Museum has over 2,000 sculptures in total kept in a safe, however only the best 400 are exhibited here. At the Lapidary you can see the original sculptures from the Charles...
KusKovu
The permanent exhibition at KusKovu Gallery that is located at Biskupský dvůr in the center of Prague presents works of art, jewels and applied art from metal and its combinations with other materials. Regularly the gallery holds exhibitions of mainly Czech jewelry designers, artists and blacksmiths, whether they are experienced or independent new artists. The common characteristics of all the exhibited works are originality and the...
Gambit Photo
Located in the historic area of Prague’s Old Town directly in the heart of the city and situated in a charming old building is the unique Gambit Photo Gallery. Gambit Photo is an intimate gallery space offering a fresh breath of artistic air to an otherwise touristy area of Prague. Gambit Photo focuses on the art of quality photography and offers gorgeous pieces to add to or start a photography collection with their superb selection...
The Mucha Museum
Located in New Town is the intimate Mucha Museum. The world’s first Mucha museum is housed in a renovated Baroque palace and showcases an informative and impressive collection of Alfons Mucha’s work. The selection of over 100 exhibits consisting of personal photographs, paintings, pastels, charcoals, lithographs, and personal memorabilia...
Charles Bridge Museum
If you wish to learn more about the intriguing Charles Bridge then head over to the Charles Bridge Museum. This museum is a must for any lover of history and architecture. Conveniently located next to the Charles Bridge on the Old Town side this museum showcases the historical sight and provides interesting information about the building of the symbol of Prague and the people involved. The grand opening of the ceremony took place...
Langhans Gallery Prague
Located in New Town, just off of Wenceslas Square on lively Vodičkova Street, is Langhans Gallery Prague. Langhans Gallery Prague is a not for profit organization that holds exhibitions of photography, exhibitions that include classic and contemporary photography, including new media. The gallery works with Czech curators as well as curators from abroad and also publishes catalogues to accompany some of the exhibitions. An interesting...
Kbely Aviation Museum
The Kbely Aviation Museum, which is a part of the Military History Institute in Prague, is located in the area of a historical military airport Prague – Kbely. This airport was the first aviation base built after the creation of Czechoslovakia. The museum was established here in 1968 and the extent and quality of its collections makes it one of the biggest aviation museums in Europe. The museum collection comprises altogether...
The Museum of Miniatures
This strange, eccentric museum is dedicated to Siberian Anatoly Konenko and his amazing miniatures. And amazed you will be! The museum displays works that are carved and painting, rarities and oddities such as a caravan of camels in the eye of a needle, a portrait of Chekhov on a half of a poppy seed, tiny copies of masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Sandro Botticelli and Rembrandt, a 3.2mm three dimensional...
Náprstek Museum
Located in the Old Town district of Prague, known for its winding cobblestone lanes, colorful Baroque facades and world-class sights is the intriguing Náprstek Museum. This museum features a collection of unique ethnographic oddities gathered by 19th century Czech nationalist Vojta Náprstek, who love primitive cultures and accumulated artifacts from Czech travelers who had roamed about the world. The collection spans from all over...
Hunt Kastner Artworks
Located in the blossoming, up-and-coming art scene of Holesovice, Praha 7 is Hunt Kastner Artworks. This independent gallery was originally opened to support about a dozen young and aspiring Czech contemporary artists including Tomáš Vanêk and Michael Thelenová, whose talent needed to be prevalent in the art scene of central Europe. Hunt Kastner Artworks has succeeded in letting the whole world know about the local artistic talent...
The Municipal Library – City Gallery Prague
Located on Mariánské Square with such grand buildings as Old Town City Hall, The exquisite Baroque Clam Gallas Palace and a section of the massive Klementinum complex is City Gallery Prague’s exhibition hall at the Municipal Library. The building was built in 1925 to 1928 and was designed by František Roith, an architect and student of Otto Wagner at the Vienna Academy. The building was originally intended for use as a cultural...
Czech Museum of Music
Located in Mala Strana and situated in the former Baroque church of St. Mary Magdalene is the Czech Museum of Music. The church was built in the 17th century but was rebuilt in its current style and was used also for a police barracks and archive. The result is a mixture of architecture styles that is pleasant and atmospheric. The grand assembly hall is especially impressive and is a great place to listen to live classical music concerts...
Café Teatr Černá labuť
Non-traditional space and unconventional repertoire is how one could describe the Café Teatr Černá labuť. The glass space on the eighth floor of a building adjoining the Bílá labuť department store on Na Poříčí Street from which there is a beautiful view of Prague rooftops serves as a café, gallery and theater. The author of this unusual space is the world famous architect of Czech origin Eva Jiřičná. The foundation stone of the whole...
Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia - National Gallery
Founded by Princess Agnes of the Premyslid dynasty in 1231, the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia is the oldest Gothic building in Prague and was used by the Order of Saint Clare, also known as the Order of Poor Ladies (the second Franciscan order established, founded by St. Clare and St. Francis of Assisi in 1212). This wondrous Gothic structure narrowly escaped demolition in the 19th century when historic synagogues and homes were...
Prague Army Museum
Located on Vítkov Hill in the Prague district of Žižkov is the Prague Army Museum. The Prague Army Museum shares Vítkov Hill with the National Liberation Memorial where you can find the world’s tallest equestrian statue with Hussite Leader and Commander Jan Zizka...
MIRO Gallery
MIRO Gallery, located in the Castle District and situated on the gorgeous grounds of Strahov Monastery is one of the most popular galleries in the magnificent city of Prague. The MIRO Gallery was founded in Berlin in 1987 and was moved to Prague in April of 1994, specifically to the beautiful church of St. Roch, which dates back to the Renaissance era. MIRO...
Public Transport Museum
Situated in a residential area and located in the Prague-Střešovice tram depot is the Public Transport Museum. Opened in 1993 by the Prague Public Transport Company this unique collection of artifacts from the city’s history of urban mass transit includes over 40 historical vehicles and more such as models, old photographs, historical documents, tickets and blueprints. The tram depot, a huge structure will delight and fascinate...
Jaroslav Fragner Gallery
Located in Old Town is the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery, one of the only galleries in Prague to solely focus on the art of architecture. The gallery introduces important individuals and groups from around the world which have contributed to the development of architecture. Situated in a lovely old renovated building, the gallery is right next to the famous Bethlehem Chapel, which was rebuilt according to a project fronted by Jaroslav...
The Stone Bell House - City Gallery Prague
The Stone Bell House is just one of the remarkable buildings located on Old Town Square and one of the oldest monuments in Prague housing short-term exhibitions of the City Gallery Prague. The oldest part of the building dates back to the second half of the 13th century. Only in the 1970s and 1980s during extensive reconstruction when the Neo-Baroque façade from the 19th century was pulled down the Gothic decorated façade was uncovered....
The Chemistry Gallery
Located in its new home in Prague 7 is the celebrated Chemistry Gallery, a unique independent space for the city of Prague where you can focus on interesting artwork from contemporary artists and, of course, purchase pieces to add to your art collection. The Chemistry Gallery also features an online comprehensive list of artists and their portfolio presentations where you can purchase and view their work. As a successful gallery of...
National Museum – Former Parliament Building
Perched at the top of Wenceslas Square next to the grand main building of the National Museum is the former Communist parliament building, now home to the new branch of the National Museum. This strange looking, even unattractive Communist era building resembles a giant black glass table that just so happened to sit on the building beneath. This Communist eyesore, loathed by many, loved by few was built after the old Exchange building...
Lego Museum
Located in the city center of Prague on the famed Narodni Street is a treat for both fun loving adults and children alike, the Lego Museum! The Lego Museum is a private museum and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. making it a convenient place to visit with your family and friends either in the morning, during the weekends or at night for busy parents. The Prague Lego Museum is the not only the largest private museum of its...
The Supreme Burgrave House
The wondrous exhibition titled 1000 Years of Incan Gold is currently on display at the Supreme House of the Burgrave. This small, but priceless exhibition is a display of jewelry (huge earrings, massive golden beads, nose pieces), tools, cups, and other household objects, such as golden tweezers. These fascinating objects are displayed in lit up glass showcases with educational and historical texts (in Czech and English)...
Museum of Decorative Arts
Located in a cultural square that houses the Rudolfinum Gallery and concert hall, the Academy of Decorative Arts and the Faulty of Philosophy is the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts. This splendid museum was erected at the very end of the 1800s and houses a wonderful collection of all things decorative from the Renaissance to the mid 19th century including...
Museum of the Capital City of Prague
Located in the bustling city center of Prague in the business district of Florenc is the Museum of the Capital City of Prague. The museum itself is a bit hidden as it is situated under a massive highway built by the Communists, however, it is worth finding as it contains a super model of Prague that represents Old Town and Lesser Town from 1826 – 1837. This large, whimsical model is so intricate and detailed that you could at...
Dea Orh Art Gallery
Located on Kozi Street in the center of Prague’s magical Old Town is the Dea Orh Art Gallery. One of the leading private art galleries in the city of Prague, Dea Orh focuses on showcasing established artists as well as promoting emerging young artists providing them with a strong platform on which to debut their talent to the art world. The diverse program of exhibitions offered at the Dea Orh Art Gallery features not only Czech...
MeetFactory
Located a bit further afield is the MeetFactory, an international center for contemporary art that creates a new artistic platform for international talents in the city of Prague. Established in 2001 in an actual meat factory in the industrial area of Holešovice, MeetFactory, o.p.s. sought to bring to Prague a space where international contemporary artists and institutions could collaborate, a space that Prague was definitely lacking....
Algiz Gallery
Located in the up-and-coming post-industrial area of Karlín is Algiz Gallery. Opened in 2009, Algiz Gallery’s main amibition is to bring Czech culture to a wider audience and to promote domestic arts. Algiz features artists from various generations and from various artistic backgrounds. Well-known, seasoned artists as well as bright young students and lesser-known artists are presented at Algiz Gallery in order to provide the...
Kinsky Palace - National Gallery
Kinsky Palace is currently closed and will reopen in December 2010 and house the National Gallery's collection of Asian Art from its former home in Zbraslav Chateau. The 19th century Czech landscaped exhibition is over. The small, but fascinating collection of 19th century Czech landscapes is located in the Rococo Kinsky Palace. Inside the gallery you...
Prague Coffee Museum
As coffee has been a part of everyday life for many ages as the varied history of the coffee bean dates all the way back to 525 A.D., so it deserves a museum dedicated to its widespread popularity. Coffee, a drink that seems to break down cultural barriers as all societies enjoy its dark and flavored aroma is consumed by 90% of the world’s adult population by necessity to awake in the morning and at social gatherings. Coffee...
Sternberg Palace - National Gallery
The National Gallery displays its wonderful collection of art dating from medieval times to the 21st century in eight unique locations, locations ranging from old renovated palaces and convents, to functionalist buildings. Each house showcases an extensive priceless permanent collection, displayed to enhance the Czech and Central European culture through beautiful visual aids. The history of the Czech National Gallery started in 1796...
Zbraslav Chateau
Zbraslav Chateau is now closed having been returned to its private owner and the Asian Art collection will be housed in Kinsky Palace; the exhibition will open in December 2009. The history of Asian Art represented in Prague is not an extensive one, but an interesting one, and the city, even country, owes its respect and many thanks to...
Museum of Communism
Located in the center of the gorgeous city of Prague is the Museum of Communism. This educational museum focuses on the totalitarian regime of Communism from its military coup beginning of 1948 to its collapse in November of 1989. The Museum of Communism in Prague focuses on the theme of Communism: the Dream, the Reality, and the Nightmare and primarily deals with daily life, history, politics, sports, economics, education, Soviet...
Experimental venue NoD Roxy
The experimental venue NoD on the upper floor of the Prague club Roxy combines a theater space, gallery and a newly reconstructed café, where you can relax before or after an exceptional cultural event that you can be sure to experience here. The space is defined as an experimental venue, since it is open to art and social experiments. It is very versatile and besides theater performances also film and music productions take place...
Jiri Svestka Gallery
Founded in 1995, the Jiri Svestka Gallery is Prague’s leading independent gallery, which focuses on Czech and international modern and contemporary art. The gallery’s main goal is to promote young talent from the Czech lands to the global audience of the prestigious art world. Since the gallery’s opening it has organized numerous exhibitions that featured the cream of the crop of the Czech art scene, all the while...
The Old Sewage Cleaning Station
In the quiet residential neighborhood of Prague 6 there is a small industrial section where you will find the Old Sewage Cleaning Station Museum. Inside this whimsical brick complex you can see how the sewage of Prague was dealt with and appreciate one of the gems of Industrial Architecture in Prague. The all brick complex from the beginning of 1900s has been renovated and features guided tours where you can discover the magic of...
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