Muzeum hlavního města Prahy

About the museum

The Muzeum hlavního města Prahy, today operating under the name Muzeum Prahy, was founded by decision of the city council in October 1881 as the Městské museum pražské. It opened its first exhibition in 1884 in a former café pavilion that stood on the site of the medieval bastion of St Christopher by the Poříčí Gate.

Since the pavilion soon proved too small for the collections, the city announced an architectural competition. It was won by Antonín Balšánek together with Josef Schulz, and between 1896 and 1898 the present neo-Renaissance building was erected to their design; it was opened to the public in 1900. The façade is decorated with sculptures by Ladislav Šaloun, and so-called zazděnce (built-in architectural fragments: coats of arms, portals, gravestones and house signs) are set into the walls, taken from houses that disappeared during the clearance of Prague. The old pavilion was demolished in 1974 during the construction of the north–south arterial road.

The best-known exhibit is Langweil’s model of Prague, which the librarian Antonín Langweil made from cardboard and paper in 1826–1837. At a scale of 1:480 it shows, on roughly 20 m², more than two thousand buildings of the Old Town, Lesser Town and Hradčany in the form they had before the major rebuilding at the end of the 19th century. In 1840 the model came to the National Museum, and after more than a hundred years it entered the collections of the Prague city museum.

In 2020–2025 the main building underwent its first major reconstruction in more than 120 years, during which it received modern technical facilities. Since 2025 it has housed the immersive exhibition City in Time, where Langweil’s model blends with projections, sound and interactive games. The Muzeum Prahy also manages a number of other Prague buildings, for example the Dům U Zlatého prstenu (House at the Golden Ring), Müller’s Villa and the Ctěnice château complex.

Highlights

• Langweil’s 19th-century paper model of Prague at a scale of 1:480
• The immersive exhibition City in Time with projections, sound and games
• Animated images and a film about Antonín Langweil made with artificial intelligence
• Zazděnce – preserved parts of demolished Prague houses set into the walls of the building
• Neo-Renaissance building by Antonín Balšánek with sculptural decoration by Ladislav Šaloun
• Free admission to the entire building

Permanent exhibition

• Město v čase – An immersive exhibition about 19th-century Prague, featuring Langweil’s paper model of the city divided into smaller sections, complemented by projections, animations and interactive games.

Founded

1881

Operated by

Hlavní město Praha

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the entire main building is free. The museum states that the free admission will last at least a full year, and it plans to introduce a model of voluntary support by visitors at a later date.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• 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 building was adapted for step-free access during the reconstruction; however, because of construction works for the Florenc metro station, step-free entry is currently not available. The exhibition uses light effects; at the ticket desk you will be advised which parts to skip.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

The exhibition offers interactive digital games; for the youngest children there is the interactive installation Mrak (Cloud), and the museum runs programmes and events for families with children.

Getting there & parking

The museum stands near Florenc metro station.

Amenities & dining

• Café

The building houses the Grifé bistro, serving coffee, desserts and simple meals.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The museum rents out the representative spaces of its main building and other properties for wedding ceremonies, company parties, lectures, workshops, concerts and celebrations. Contact: pronajmy@muzeumprahy.cz, +420 728 385 465.

Plan your visit