Muzeum města Duchcova

About the museum

The Duchcov museum was founded in 1896 on the initiative of local Germans who wanted to document the antiquity of the German settlement of the town. It was housed in a building on Bílinská Street, and its greatest growth came before the First World War, when archaeological, local-history and natural-science collections were being assembled. After the founding of Czechoslovakia, a Czech minority museum was set up in 1922, and the German museum moved into a larger building on Nádražní Street.

After the Second World War the museum was led by the archaeologist Hermina Davidová-Mayová. After the death of the head of the museum, Václav Kukla, in 1963, however, nobody was left to look after the collections. In 1967 they were moved to the château, and various objects gradually ended up in other institutions. In 1994 it was decided to restore the town museum, mainly thanks to the initiative of Josef Záda. Today it is housed in a former burgher's house on Masarykova Street.

The permanent exhibition, The History of the Town of Duchcov (Historie města Duchcova), traces the story from prehistoric times. It displays the Duchcov Treasure (Duchcovský poklad) from the La Tène period, found in 1882 while the Obří pramen spring in Lahošť was being cleaned, medieval archaeological finds, the era of the Valdštejn family, and a section on Giacomo Casanova, who spent the last years of his life in Duchcov. The separate exhibition Já, Giacomo Casanova, opened in June 2020, has interactive elements, period costumes and writing with a goose quill. Branches on Republic Square have presented the history of the Royal Dux porcelain works since June 2026, and the history of the HIKO pram factory since 2015.

Highlights

• The Duchcov Treasure from the La Tène period and brooches of the Duchcov type
• The exhibition Já, Giacomo Casanova, with period costumes and writing with a goose quill
• Specialised Casanova research room, including the collection of Bernhard Marr
• Royal Dux porcelain exhibition (opened in June 2026)
• HIKO exhibition: prams and children's vehicles from Duchcov

Permanent exhibitions

• Historie města Duchcova – The exhibition traces the history of Duchcov from prehistoric times. It presents the Duchcov Treasure from the La Tène period, medieval finds, the era of the Valdštejn family, and the development of mining and glassmaking in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Já, Giacomo Casanova – A popularly designed exhibition on the ground floor of the main building introduces the life and times of Giacomo Casanova, who spent his last years in Duchcov. It offers interactive elements and period costumes.
• Royal Dux – expozice porcelánu – A new exhibition in Scheithauer House traces the history of the Duchcov porcelain manufactory from the second half of the 19th century until the end of production.

Founded

1896

Operated by

Město Duchcov (organizační složka města)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

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Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

In the exhibition Já, Giacomo Casanova, visitors can try on period costumes, write with a goose quill or make an impression of a seal with the exhibition's logo.

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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