Muzeum Královská mincovna Jáchymov

About the museum

Jáchymov grew up after silver was discovered at the beginning of the 16th century and was one of the important mining towns of Central Europe. Coins were minted in the town at the height of its prosperity, and Renaissance culture flourished there. The building of today's museum was the Royal Mint; the year 1536 is carved on the preserved oriel.

Of the original Renaissance building, the core of the house, several windows and portals, a unique smoke hood and a very extensive cellar have survived. The museum has been housed in the building since 1964, and it is now run by the Karlovy Vary Museum. The tour route also leads underground, where a lapidarium holds fragments of portals and jambs from a demolished house of the mint master.

The permanent exhibition tells the story of the town, the mineral wealth of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory) and silver mining, which is complemented by a moving model of mining activity. It presents Renaissance culture, including the library of a 16th-century Latin school and the works of the naturalist Georgius Agricola, the preacher Johannes Mathesius and the composer Nickl Hermann. Other sections describe local industry, the town's prosperity in the era of radon spas with a period balneotherapy room, hard life in the Ore Mountains, and the camps for political prisoners at the uranium mines after 1950.

Highlights

• Former royal mint with a Renaissance oriel from 1536
• Moving model of mining activity
• Library of a 16th-century Latin school
• Period balneotherapy room from the era of radon spas
• Exhibition on the camps for political prisoners at the uranium mines
• Cellar with a lapidarium

Permanent exhibitions

• Dějiny Jáchymova, dolování a ražba mincí – The exhibition presents the history of the town, the mineral wealth of the Ore Mountains and silver mining with a moving model, and recalls the era of the greatest prosperity of coin minting in Jáchymov.
• Radonové lázně a krušnohorský národopis – The section on local industry and radon spa treatment includes a period balneotherapy room; the Ore Mountain folk culture section shows life in the harsh mountain environment.
• Tábory politických vězňů – Permanent exhibition on the camps for political prisoners at the Jáchymov uranium mines after 1950.

Founded

1923

Operated by

Muzeum Karlovy Vary, příspěvková organizace Karlovarského kraje

Admission & discounts

Children under 6 and holders of ZTP/P, AMG, ICOM and TISK-PRESS cards enter free. A guided tour of the town of Jáchymov costs CZK 60 (Czech) or CZK 70 (German) per person for one hour, and CZK 120 (Czech) or CZK 140 (German) for two hours; it must be booked at least one week in advance.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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

Care is needed on the stairs and at the low passages when visiting the cellars.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The museum stands in the upper part of the town above the town hall, near the Church of St Joachim.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The hall of the Royal Mint is available for rent; the museum publishes its rental price list on its website.

Plan your visit