Muzeum Fotoateliér Seidel

About the museum

The museum is housed in an Art Nouveau house on Linecká Street, built in 1905 on the foundations of an older wooden house. The photographer Josef Seidel lived and worked here, and after him his son František. Until 1949 a large body of work was created here, capturing the landscape, towns, villages and people of the Czech-Austrian-German borderland, including places that no longer exist.

The house with the studio and a large part of the work was bought after years of negotiations from the heirs of the family by the Českokrumlovský rozvojový fond (Český Krumlov Development Fund), a company of the town; it became the owner in April 2005. The building underwent restoration while keeping its original appearance, and the museum was opened to the public on 6 June 2008. The collection comprises about 140,000 glass plates and negatives, albums, postcards and an archive of studio work.

The permanent exhibition shows the life and work of both photographers, the glass-roofed studio, accounting and commission books and period specialist literature. Part of the original photographic equipment has been brought back into operation and explains the classic process of making photographs from the Austro-Hungarian period until the end of the Second World War. Since January 2026 the museum has been a branch of the Regional Museum in Český Krumlov, and its founder is the South Bohemian Region.

Highlights

• The original Art Nouveau photo studio with glass roof
• Preserved photographic equipment and copying technology
• Collection of about 140,000 glass plates and negatives
• Retro photography in period costumes
• Tour with an audio guide in four languages

Permanent exhibition

• Stálá expozice o díle Josefa a Františka Seidelových – The exhibition in the original studio and house presents the life and work of both photographers, the preserved photographic equipment and the process of making photographs in the first half of the 20th century.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Regionální muzeum v Českém Krumlově (zřizovatel Jihočeský kraj)

Admission & discounts

The prices stated apply to an individual tour with an audio guide; a guided tour costs more (see the other tickets). The museum offers reduced admission with the Český Krumlov Card (adults CZK 490, students and seniors CZK 290, families CZK 980), and a 30% discount applies with the Lipno Card. Photography in the studio is charged separately.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Children aged 6–15 have reduced admission, and a family ticket (2 adults and up to 4 children) is available. For schools the museum prepares interactive programmes (60–90 minutes) with a demonstration of the darkroom, a tour and writing postcards, for different school years. Families can have their photograph taken in the studio in period costumes.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum's sales gallery offers photographs, prints and publications about Klet, Boletice, Krumlov, Šumava and Lipno.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit