You can barely take a step along Prague‘s cobblestone streets without tripping over a museum. It’s estimated that the city has more than 100 museums and exhibition halls, touching on every genre of art and every period of history. If you have a particular obsession, there’s a good chance that Prague has a small, niche museum that covers that too.
Completely free museums are rare in Prague, but entry fees are relatively inexpensive by European standards, allowing you to enjoy numerous museum visits without significant expense. Although purchasing the Prague City Pass or Prague CoolPass offers some free and discounted entries to key attractions, it is often considered that paying at individual venues delivers better overall value.
For fans of history, nature, art, and more, here’s a guide to Prague’s best museums.
National Museum: Best for National and Natural History
A resplendent edifice at the top of Wenceslas Square, the National Museum has witnessed pivotal moments in Czech history. The building stood as a silent observer to Nazi and Soviet invasions; in the 1980s, the mass pro-democracy demonstrations of the Velvet Revolution unfolded at its steps.
Inside, multimedia installations and historical artifacts chronicle this tumultuous past. The museum frequently hosts intriguing temporary exhibitions, often focused on Czech music and culture. However, this large-scale national institution is most renowned for its extensive natural history collection. The sight of a fin whale skeleton suspended from the neo-Renaissance ceiling is itself worth the entrance fee. Before leaving, ascend the cupola for incomparable views of the square and the iconic Prague Castle.
Prague Jewish Museum: Best for Jewish History
Visitors to the Prague Jewish Museum can easily spend an entire day in thoughtful reflection. Spread across seven sites, it houses one of the largest collections of Jewish artifacts in the world. Most visitors begin at Pinkas Synagogue – a stunning Gothic structure that provides access to the Old Jewish Cemetery, the oldest surviving Jewish graveyard in Europe.
The synagogue’s main hall now serves as a memorial to the 77,297 Czech victims of the Holocaust. Additionally, an impactful exhibition on the first floor explores the experiences of Jewish children detained at the Terezín concentration camp during WWII.
Veletržní Palác: Best for Modern Art
Between 1918 and 1938, the newly independent Czechoslovakia blossomed into a vibrant cultural hub. At Veletržní Palác, located in trendy Holešovice, a long-term exhibition recreates some of the major art shows from those optimistic days. Guests can enjoy works by Picasso, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and notable Czech artists such as Toyen and Otakar Švec.
As the primary exhibition space of the National Gallery Prague, which also encompasses the Schwarzenberg Palace, Kinský Palace, and the Convent of St Agnes, the Veletržní Palác regularly hosts world-class exhibitions. Behind its impressive functionalist facade lies a light-filled café, recognized as one of the city’s finest.
National Museum of Agriculture: Best for Families
The National Museum of Agriculture features four floors of interactive experiences, demonstrating that learning about agriculture can be enjoyable. Young visitors can zip around on ride-on tractors and engage in play kitchens and shops. The rooftop lawn offers delightful views of nearby Letna Gardens and medieval Malá Strana. In the museum garden, children will find wandering chickens, a hand-cranked carousel, and the delightful experience of homemade pizzas at Jakoby Záletná.
Prague City Museum: Best for City History
The main building of Prague City Museum is noteworthy, although it is closed for renovations until Autumn 2022. For those eager to explore more about the Czech capital, a visit to the House At The Golden Ring, another branch of the museum adjacent to Týn Church, would be rewarding.
Within two connected 14th-century houses, the museum presents a charming assortment of exhibitions featuring models, interactive multimedia, and historical artifacts, showcasing Prague’s transformation from a minor medieval town to a significant European power during Charles IV’s reign.
Museum of Communism: Best for 20th-Century History
Inside the Museum of Communism, visitors encounter propaganda posters, mid-century gadgets, photographs, and art that together create a vivid portrayal of everyday life in Czechoslovakia behind the Iron Curtain. Engaging mock-ups allow exploration of a sparsely stocked Communist-era shop and an interrogation room. Notably, the museum features footage of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, providing fresh insights into the protesters’ bravery and the oppressive measures employed by the Soviet regime.
DOX Centre for Contemporary Art: Best for Cutting-Edge Art
The district of Holešovice was historically the city’s manufacturing center, yet its dormant factories have been successfully transformed into dynamic cafes, art spaces, and boutiques. At the heart of the neighborhood lies the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art: a sleek gallery showcasing ever-evolving exhibitions by local and international artists that surprise and provoke. Be sure to explore the giant wooden zeppelin appearing to hover over the gallery’s roof.
Karel Zeman Museum: Best Small Museum
The Karel Zeman Museum immerses visitors in the imaginative world of its groundbreaking namesake, film-maker Karel Zeman. In the mid-20th century, long before CGI, Zeman created cinematic magic by merging live-action with handcrafted models and animation.
This playful museum encourages guests to replicate his techniques using mobile phones instead of movie cameras. Its series of small rooms features monitors screening captivating clips from Zeman’s films, including his whimsical adaptations of Jules Verne’s novels.
Galerie Rudolfinum: Best for Free Exhibitions
Part of the stunning cultural complex housing the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Galerie Rudolfinum frequently hosts remarkable contemporary art exhibitions. Most visiting exhibitions are free to enter, as is the excellent children’s play space. For additional enjoyment, consider investing in coffee and cake in the grand, pillar-lined café.
Museum of Decorative Arts: Best for Design Devotees
Highlighting Czech creativity, the Museum of Decorative Arts showcases an extensive collection of Bohemian glass that attracts visitors from all over. Displays include iridescent objets d’art, large-scale installations, furniture, costumes, handcrafted textiles, and toys. The stunning interiors of this neo-Renaissance building are equally impressive, making this museum one not to skip.
NaFilM – National Film Museum: Best New Museum
Tucked next to the peaceful Franciscan Gardens in Nové Město, NaFilM – National Film Museum emerged from the vision of three Czech film students and opened its doors in 2019. The museum explores both the history and the mechanics of film-making, often highlighting examples from the Czech film canon. The most surprising aspect is its wide range of hands-on activities – from spinning zoetropes to immersively engaging in VR worlds.
