ViaTravelers

19 Best Museums in Prague, Czechia

Museums in Prague
Published on: September 27, 2021
Last updated: September 24, 2024

We take pride in providing authentic travel recommendations based on our own experiences, which is documented through our travel photography and writing only about places we have personally visited. We may earn a commission when you purchase a product or book a reservation. This has no influence on our recommendations. For more information, please read about our approach to travel publishing. Learn more ›

Kyle Kroeger

Written by Kyle Kroeger

Kyle Kroeger, founder of ViaTravelers.com, is an American immigrant living in Amsterdam. He has personally explored over 15 countries, 30 US states, and over 20 national parks across 4 continents, gaining firsthand experience in diverse global cultures. As a travel photographer, visualizing experiences is paramount to his contributions to ViaTravelers, contributing over 10,000 photos from around the world. Kyle's perspective in immersive cultural experiences stems from his time living in Italy, where he developed a deep appreciation for authentic local interactions.

There are many great museums in Prague, Czechia (also known by its older name, the Czech Republic). However, some museums stand out and deserve special ViaTravelers’ attention!

Among these amazing museums in Prague are The National Museum, Rudolfinum, and the Jewish Museum. There are tons of different outstanding museums in Prague, ranging from art to science to history, for all ages to learn and enjoy.

So, no matter what your interest is, something will be in store for you during your visit to Prague’s best museums.

Best Prague Museums to Visit

1. Národní Muzeum

Národní Muzeum
Kyle Kroeger / ViaTravelers

The Czech National Museum, known as the Narodni Muzeum, exhibits a natural scientific and historical collection. It’s also the Czech Republic’s largest museum.

The museum’s exhibits are dispersed in several buildings in and around Prague. In addition, the museum hosts a variety of cultural and educational events.

The Historical Museum is another popular destination. During the Hussite Movement in the 15th century, its medieval collection of panel paintings, jewelry, wooden sculptures, and coins was irreparably damaged.

The National Museum is in Prague’s city center at Albertov 678/2c, Old Town 118 00 Praha 1-Staré Mesto (Old Town Area). The best way to get there is via Tram.

It is a perfect place to visit for those who love arts, science, nature, geography, and history. It encompasses various disciplines, from the natural sciences to specific social sciences, as well as several fantastic galleries featuring domestic art through the ages.

This museum houses collections of items relating to the evolution of nature and the historical background of Czech culture and diverse ethnic origins.

See Related: Best Theme Parks in Europe

2. Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague

Building of Museum of Decorative Art in Prague
Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague / Shutterstock

Among Prague’s finest museums is the Museum of Decorative Arts. It is a fantastic place to discover applied art and design and is a must-see in Prague. It is located at 17. Listopadu 2, 110 00 Josefov.

The museum has reopened after a recent restoration effort. The museum’s shop has been renovated, and a new restaurant has been added for hungry guests.

The Museum of Decorative Arts has much to offer, including ceramics and porcelain, textiles and fashion, toys and jewelry, as well as graphics and photographs. The glass display is one of the largest in Europe.

The museum in Prague collects and preserves specimens of historical and current craft and applied arts and design from all over the world for future generations and has frequently updated exhibits.

The staff and directors believe in a balance of function, quality, and beauty to inspire, educate, and entertain.

See Related: Luxury Travel Gifts for Him

3. Jewish Museum in Prague

Old Jewish Cemetary in Prague
Kyle Kroeger / ViaTravelers

The Jewish Museum in Prague is Europe’s largest synagogue museum, founded in 1885. The museum is home to four ancient synagogues, which are still used to this day, as well as the magnificent Ceremonial Hall.

The world-famous Old Jewish Cemetery and galleries are housed within the museums, as well as several depositories.

The Jewish Museum in Prague continues to rank among the Czech Republic’s top three most-attended museums. The museum’s store of Judaica is among the greatest in the world, containing around 40,000 artifacts, 100,000 books, and an expansive archive that records the long history of the Czech Jewish community.

There’s a lot more to see in the Jewish Museum. There’s a library with a multimedia center, restoration workshops, and an educational and sizable cultural center where educational and cultural events are held.

See Related: Best Travel Backpacks

4. Kafka Museum

Kafka Museum

The Kafka Museum was built to commemorate legendary Czech writer Franz Kafka, author of the allegorical masterpiece The Metamorphosis. It is located in Cihelná 635, 118 00 Malá Strana, Czechia.

The Franz Kafka Museum aims to conserve and exhibit Franz Kafka’s work for the general public to enjoy. It is one of the most popular attractions in Prague for international visitors.

Existentialism is a core concept of the museum’s structure. The museum features films, letters, and Kafka’s personal belongings, as well as the certificate of his law degree.

The final stop in the tour of this fascinating literary museum is Imaginary Topography, the name given to this iconic room when it was first constructed.

A great day out and a great jumping-off point, there are four restaurants near the museum for any rumbling tummies and a botanical garden perfect for photographs before or after checking the Kafka Museum.

See Related: Top Free Travel Magazines

5. National Technical Museum

National technical museum exhibit
Rus S / Shutterstock.com

The National Technical Museum is a renowned tourist spot in Czechia, located at Kostelní 1320/42, Prague 7-Letná. National Technical Museum is the largest museum of technology in the Czech Republic. It has a collection of technical heritage items, all having historical significance to the nation.

The museum was founded in 1908, and it has amassed an extensive collection documenting the evolution of numerous technical achievements, advancements, and specialties, with a heavy focus on transportation.

In 14 permanent exhibitions and temporary exhibitions, many unique pieces are on display. They feature old airplanes, cars, motorcycles, spacecraft, motorbikes, and bicycles.

The museum is for people who love cars and planes. It’s also open to the general public. The museum is a very cool place to visit because it can be an adventure that you do indoors, perfect for rainy days!

See Related: Best Travel Movies to Inspire You

6. Museum of Communism

Museum of Communism Entrance
Kyle Kroeger / ViaTravelers

Do you enjoy going to museums to learn about politics? The Museum of Communism is one of the best museums in Prague and arguably one of the greatest museums in the Czech Republic. It is Prague’s only museum dedicated to the history and ideals of Communism and is situated in V Celnici 1031/4, Nové Město, Prague.

The gallery welcomes visitors on a trip through Czech history during the Cold War as part of the Warsaw Pact, emphasizing both the positive and terrible sides of communism. It presents visitors with an authentic living experience behind the Iron Curtain.

Original artifacts in the museum’s collection include archives of film and photographs, propaganda arts, historical documents, monuments, and military equipment. There is also a recreated schoolroom, a communist store, and a workshop on the museum grounds.

Tourists can learn more about the Soviet ethos, including demolishing private businesses, collectivization, and communist propaganda. It’s arguably one of the best history museums in Central Europe and a must for anyone interested in politics, Soviet or Cold War history.

See Related: Best Ways to Earn Delta SkyMiles

7. Mucha Museum

Mucha Museum building architecture
Christopher Barles / Shutterstock.com

The Mucha Museum was built to commemorate the famous Czech Nouveau artist Alphons Mucha. It is situated in Panská 7, 110 00 Nové Město, Prague.

Much of Mucha’s work represents the Art Nouveau movement. The gallery begins with a display of Mucha’s ornamental panels made in Paris at the start of the nineteenth century. The Mucha Museum’s paintings, posters, and photographs were collected and presented to the public.

Mucha is famous for theatrical posters for Sarah Bernhardt, a renowned fin-de-siècle actress. It also displays his remarkable sketches as well as his more renowned masterpieces.

Some of Mucha’s lesser-known works advocating pan-Slavism are also part of the museum exhibit. Additionally, visitors can view an intricate replica of his Paris study.

This Prague museum also has a gift store offering an exclusive selection of Alphonse Mucha-inspired items and a cafe where guests can unwind with light bites and coffee.

See Related: Motel vs. Hotel vs. Inn

8. National Gallery Prague – Kinsky Palace

National Gallery Prague, Kinsky Palace building architecture
Mistervlad / Shutterstock

In partnership with the Národní Muzeum, the National Gallery established a permanent art gallery in Kinsky Palace, located at Staroměstské nám. 1, 110 15 Staré Město, Prague.

The exhibition covers 7,000 years of art history through the lens of over a thousand items and art galleries. These items were collected from the diverse historical cultures in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. The Kinsky Palace exhibition also features a Buddhist art collection from Asian countries like China, Tibet, and India.

The Kinsky Palace’s ongoing exhibit is not the only thing worth seeing; every person visiting is encouraged to participate in the museum’s studio.

They also sell creative supplies such as stencils and exhibition guides for on-site study, as well as origami instructions. In addition, they organize discussions and art activities. This place is a fantastic spot for the family, particularly for budding artists or lovers of beautiful things.

See Related: Best Party Cities in Europe

9. Lobkowicz Palace Museum

Tourists in front of the Lobkowicz Palace Museum
Erudy / Wikimedia Commons

Visitors to the Lobkowics Palace Museum can learn about European history and life in the palace from the Lobkowicz family’s distinctive point of view.

The Museum features world-famous paintings by some of Czechia’s most celebrated painters, including a wonderful collection of hand-annotated manuscripts from some of the world’s finest medieval, renaissance, baroque, and classical composers, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Other brilliant exhibits include a ceramics gallery with exhibits spanning five centuries, a remarkable permanent collection of arms and armor, and priceless manuscripts by Bruegel, Canaletto, and Velázquez.

The Museum houses the best pieces from The Collections, including several pieces of international importance, in 21 elegantly designed galleries.

The Museum’s popular audio tour takes visitors through the galleries. It covers essential information on European history and the Lobkowicz family’s seven-hundred-year existence, including how the family lost everything twice (first from the Nazis, then to the Communists) and then reclaimed it after the Cold War.

See Related: Best Travel Hoodies for a Cozy Journey

10. Karel Zeman Museum

Costumes from movies exhibit inside Karel Zeman Museum
Bruno Mameli / Shutterstock.com

Karel Zeman was a beloved Czechoslovakian filmmaker, designer, puppeteer, and animator. Often dubbed the “Czech Méliès,” his museum in Prague is an excellent pick for an interactive museum, especially for those bringing young kids. The museum is a great destination for sightseeing options for all to enjoy.

Kids can learn about the best Czech filmmakers, whose animation and cinematic tactics have influenced – and continue to influence – filmmakers like Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, and other current household names.

It won’t just be the kids who have a good time, either! Everyone can fly through the air on horseback and walk on the moon like in the landmark fantasy film Baron Práil (The Fabulous Baron Munchausen)! Ride the flying machine from Vynález zkázy (Invention for Destruction) and meet the wooly mammoth from Cesta do pravěku (Journey to Prehistory)!

Karel Zeman’s legacy is preserved and championed at this marvelous museum, which hosts different public and school programs, including animation classes.

Additionally, the museum is in the process of digitizing all of Karel Zeman’s films in stages. The museum’s on-site store sells previously released Zeman DVDs, cinema, animation, and other Zeman-related items.

See Related: Simple Ways to Sustainable Travel

11. Czech Museum of Music

Czech Museum of Music building architecture
Robson90 / Shutterstock.com

The Czech Museum of Music in Prague houses the Heritage Museum of Czech Music. Its collection has approximately 700,000 musical items, making it one of the world’s most comprehensive.

An extensive music archive and a unique collection of musical instruments are among its features. The Bedrich Smetana Museum and the Antonn Dvoák Museum’s estates and collections are also part of the gallery.

The vastness of the main hall and the particular charm, left by the weathering of time, easily catch visitors’ attention as they enter. The Czech Museum of Music has focused on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to return music to this space.

Almost 400 historically significant musical instruments are on display. This venue hosts temporary and ongoing exhibitions and concerts, including recitals from one of the most remarkable 17th-century pipe organs still working today.

The museum is another great stop on a day trip or jumping-off point, as it is near some other attractions, such as Lennon Wall, which is only a 3-minute walk from the museum and an iconic tourist spot in town.

See Related: Best Herschel Travel Bags

12. National Gallery Prague – Convent of St. Agnes

Gothic building and garden of National Gallery Prague - Convent of St. Agnes
Atchacapture / Shutterstock.com

When looking for a beautiful museum to explore, the National Gallery, Prague – Convent of St. Agnes is one of Prague’s notable galleries and a textbook example of Gothic architecture. Around 1230 AD, St. Agnes of Bohemia and King Wenceslas I founded the Convent of St. Agnes. The guided tour delves into the history of the great historic monastery’s multiple elements.

A self-guided tour of the double convent’s history and founder can be conducted on the ground floor of the compound, the Poor Clares Convent’s Lapidarium (cloister), and the Friars Minor Convent’s Lapidarium.

The gallery houses a considerable collection of architectural elements from the monastery’s numerous construction periods, as well as plaques and tombstones honoring altar consecrations.

The convent gardens and the exhibition paths through the convent’s architecture and sculptures by famous Czech artists are accessible to the public throughout the year. In addition, the National Gallery’s cafés serve refreshments, and the gallery shops sell designer items such as souvenirs.

See Related: Best Travel Apps for Europe

13. Sex Machines Museum

Facade of Sex Machines museum
Robson90 / Shutterstock.com

Spice up your tour in Czechia by checking out the Sex Machines Museum in Prague. The locals consider it less than savory, which says something, given Czechia’s thriving pornography industry! Maybe use that as a hint to leave this one out if you’re visiting Prague with kids.

While it may be less popular with the locals, it attracts many tourists and has become one of Prague’s most visited museums. The exhibition is housed in a 600 square meter, three-story historic 17th-century building in Prague.

The Museum of Sex Machines in Prague is one of those places that tourists find difficult to pass by. And it’s not so much about its magnetism as its position. The Sex Machines Museum is from Wenceslas Square to Old Town Square, between two of Prague’s most popular tourist destinations.

In the museum, you’ll find black and white sexual films from the turn of the twentieth century in an old movie theater. There’s a room of adult toys and provocative installations of old and new erotic equipment. A total of 350 objects of a sexual nature are included in the exhibition.

It is intended to lead visitors along an ironic and astute road that allows them to travel between curiosity, history, sex positivity, and the weirdest kinks that give people their kicks!

See Related: Best Military Museums in Europe

14. Speculum Alchemiae

Exhibit at Speculum Alchemiae, Prague
Georgios Antonatos / Shutterstock

The House of Alchemy is one of the oldest structures in the city, and it transports visitors back to a time when alchemy was considered a legitimate science.

On tours (the only way currently available to view the museum), visitors are taken below to the museum’s secret labs, where alchemists formerly attempted to create elixirs for love, memory loss, and gold.

Amazingly, the alchemical laboratory was newly discovered during the reconstruction of Prague’s oldest building, Hatalská 1, having miraculously survived the demolition of the Jewish district at the end of the nineteenth century. UNESCO has designated the Speculum Alchemiae as a World Heritage Site

Tourists are quite taken with the museum’s 30-minute guided tours. The tour guides speak English fluently and can answer all inquiries from English-speaking visitors. The museum isn’t too precious about taking pictures, and snapping photographs of the exhibit is permitted.

See Related: Why Traveling is Important

15. Aircraft Museum Prague-Kbely

Part of an Aircraft in a Museum

The airfield originally inhabited this site was the first military airfield established after Czechoslovakia’s formal departure from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The museum debuted in 1968 and is one of Europe’s major aviation galleries.

The Aircraft Museum Prague-Kbely collection comprises about 275 aircraft. 85 of the 275 planes are exhibited in four covered museum halls and 25 outdoor areas. Ten of these aircraft are still operational and used for air displays, while the remainder are not on full display and are being painstakingly restored.

The displayed items show the history of Czech aviation, particularly military aviation. Besides the numerous aircraft, visitors can see aircraft engines, military uniforms, aircraft weapons and small arms, equipment, and other fascinating exhibits.

The size and quality of its collections make it one of the largest aviation museums in Europe, and it has an important place on the map of any aviation enthusiast, as several of the aircraft on display here are the only ones of their kind still in existence.

See Related: Reasons Why Traveling is Important

16. Beer Museum

Beer Museum, Prague

If it weren’t for Bohemia/Czechoslovakia/Czechia, the list of beers out there would be much smaller – Budweiser wouldn’t exist for one! Do you think Germany is the beer capital of the world? Think again! Almost all of the world’s most popular beers originated in what is now Czechia!

Quench your thirst by visiting a magical place where dreams of beer come true! The museum is the ideal place to learn more about the history of Czech beer, its production, and the impact Bohemian and Czech beer brewing has had on the entire beer world.

Museum tours are enhanced with multimedia displays, lifelike figures in an authentic environment, and beer’s distinct aroma during their duration. A superbly detailed model of the brewery illustrates how malt, hops, wheat, and barley beers are made. In addition, there’d be a beer tasting, which is already included in the admission fee!

During a visit, visitors can travel back in time by tasting several beers and unique beers stored in the tavern that will test and bless your tastebuds.

In the Beer Museum, you will have the chance to produce your souvenir beer! Grab a bottle, fill it with the beer you choose using special equipment, design your label, print it on the bottle, and then take it home!

See Related: Best Travel Safes

17. Museum of Senses

People passing by the Museum of Senses
Museum of Senses / Facebook

The Museum of Senses is an interesting venue that will awaken your senses and inspire you to discover more through feel. The Museum of Senses is probably Prague’s most unique museum, combining an entertaining experience with great information.

Experience the incredible activities in a museum where you can gaze at mind-boggling optical illusions, experience the unfathomable, and challenge each of your senses to the limit! Kids and adults can uncover a world of feelings and visual illusions you may not have realized existed!

When visiting the museum, allow yourself to be carried away during a physically and mind-challenging encounter. A location that is entertaining and informative, as amazing as it is mysterious and as irrational as it is sensible, it is among the most wonderful destinations and museums to see for kids.

They can discover things about sound, vibrations, touch, scent, how the human brain works, and kid-friendly sciences. Watch them try and make sense of their sensory feelings as they observe and explore them – heck, try it out for yourself! Fifty exhibits will blow your mind as you explore the fantastic world of your feelings!

See Related: Best Portable Car Seats for Travel

18. Museum Kampa

Modern building of Kampa Museum by the lake
Pyty / Shutterstock

A small but impressive art museum can be located in the former Sova Mills, the Museum Kampa in the Lesser Quarter of Prague.

It holds the Jan and Meda Mládek Collection, which includes works by Frantisek Kupka, a pioneer of abstract art, the work of Otto Gutfreund, a Czech Cubist sculpturist, and works of other renowned Eastern bloc artists of the twentieth century.

Museum Kampa aims to accurately depict the difficult times in which the majority of the art was created, ensure that these events are not forgotten, and spark interest in Czech history and culture among domestic and international visitors by introducing modern and contemporary art.

The museum separates itself from other institutions that either focus on contemporary art or cover a much broader spectrum by focusing on progressive developments in 20th-century Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as Central/Eastern European art of the era in general.

Czech and Central European institutions hold Museum Kampa in high regard due to its clear, unified mission. A staple of Prague’s cultural attractions, Museum Kampa, sees visits from about 100,000 tourists every year. The Guardian selected the gallery as one of Europe’s best five tiny private museums in 2015.

See Related: Best Gadgets for Long Flights

19. National Gallery Prague – Trade Fair Palace

National Gallery Prague - Trade Fair Palace building
btwcapture / Shutterstock.com

The National Gallery Prague, found in the Trade Fair Palace (also known as the Veletrzn Palác), is a fascinating destination in Prague. It houses Prague’s most outstanding modern and contemporary art collection, built in a magnificent Functionalism-style tower with six levels.

This national museum is more than suitable for anyone who wishes to gawp at incredible, contemporary art masterpieces.

The Veletrzn Palác will enchant you with its permanent exhibitions from 19th and 20th-century French art, Czech Cold War art from 1960-1995, 20th-century European art, and well-curated collections of frequently updated short-term displays.

The museum highlights the First Czechoslovak Republic collections, Art of the Long Century, and an abundance of modern Czech art. Key features include the work of Pablo Picasso, Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, and other similarly famous painters.

The gallery itself far outdates the building that currently houses it. Founded in 1796, it is one of the world’s oldest public art galleries and still one of Central Europe’s largest museums.

The building, finished in 1928, was Prague’s first Functionalist structure before it became the site for this branch of the National Gallery.

Related Resources

Loading...

Comments