Městské muzeum Týn nad Vltavou

About the museum

The idea of founding a museum in Týn nad Vltavou emerged as early as the end of the 19th century. After several unsuccessful attempts a commission was set up in 1929, whose spiritual father was the local teacher Bedřich Karásek. The museum was founded in August 1930 and was first housed in the town hall, and from 1932 in the old town almshouse (městská opatrovna) under the church of St James. It was solemnly opened to the public on 19 June 1932. In 1944 the Protectorate authorities closed it; after the war it was nationalised and from 1953 belonged to the network of district museums.

Since the mid-1950s the museum has been housed in the former château of the Prague archbishops on the main square. The château was built at the end of the 17th century at the initiative of Archbishop Jan Josef Breuner, and the archbishops lived there when travelling to southern Bohemia. The mansard roof dates from after the town fire of 1796. Today the building houses the town library as well as the museum.

In 1987 the museum opened an exhibition on moldavites, a year later an exhibition on nuclear energy, and in the mid-1990s an exhibition on puppetry and the memorial room of Alfréd Radok. The underground passages were opened to the public in 2008 (since 2020 they have been run by the town information centre), and new exhibitions were created in 2014. The museum is part of the Městské centrum kultury a vzdělávání (Town Centre for Culture and Education).

Highlights

• Former château of the Prague archbishops from the end of the 17th century
• Collection of about a thousand moldavites and a simulation of the fall of the Ries meteorite
• Exhibition History of the Týn nad Vltavou region – the work of an archaeologist and a raft trip
• The World of Puppets, where the puppets may be touched and played with
• Memorial exhibition on Alfréd Radok and other personalities of the region

Permanent exhibitions

• Historie Vltavotýnska – A journey through time from the Stone Age to the present, where visitors can try the work of an archaeologist and a raft trip.
• Vltavíny – An exhibition of natural glasses formed after the impact of the Ries meteorite; the museum owns a collection of about a thousand tektites and offers a simulation of the meteorite's fall.
• Svět loutek – An exhibition of marionettes from the National Revival and local puppets of Zindulák Pošvejc; visitors may touch the puppets and play with them.

Founded

1930

Operated by

Městské centrum kultury a vzdělávání Týn nad Vltavou

Admission & discounts

Children under 5 and AMG members enter free. An additional charge of 100% of the admission price applies to tours outside visiting hours. The reduced admission for war veterans follows Act No. 170/2002 Coll.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is on the first and second floors of the historic building and has no lift. A tracked stair-climbing device with a load capacity of up to 130 kg is available for wheelchair users; for operational reasons, it is recommended to book the visit in advance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly: not available

Children can try the work of an archaeologist, experience the fall of a meteorite or play puppet theatre; in the World of Puppets it is allowed to touch the puppets. Worksheets are available. Prams have to be carried up to the upper floor.

Getting there & parking

To Týn from České Budějovice run road II/105, from Písek road I/20 and II/159, and from Tábor roads II/139 and II/159. The museum is also reachable along the Vltava and Lužnice cycle routes and by the Vltava waterway, with the landing stage in the historic centre of the town.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum also sells moldavites as souvenirs.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit