Podskalská celnice na Výtoni
Exhibition in the historic Podskalí customs house on the Vltava embankment, presenting raft-making, the vanished Podskalí district and the history of river transport; open at weekends only.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Podskalská celnice (Podskalí customs house) has stood on this spot for more than 500 years and is one of the last surviving monuments of the vanished Podskalí, a riverside suburb shaped by the Vltava, raft-making, fishing, sand extraction, ice cutting and steamboat navigation. Raft-making was inscribed in 2022 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The building dates from the 16th century. The Novoměstská obec (New Town municipality) bought it in 1561; later it housed a well-known inn for the raft crews, and a customs coat of arms from 1671 survives above the entrance. After several changes of ownership the city bought it back in 1927 and in 1939 handed it over to the Muzeum hlavního města Prahy (Museum of the City of Prague). The first exhibition opened here in 1946; the current one dates from 2003.
After the bank of the Vltava was raised to protect against floods, the customs house remained partly sunk below the level of the embankment. On the first floor visitors learn about the building's original purpose, the history of raft-making on the Vltava, the vanished Podskalí and its residents, and the history of freight and passenger shipping, including the beginnings of steamboat navigation. On the ground floor is a pub. Opposite the building stands a limnigraph (water-level recorder) from 1907, restored in 2003.
Highlights
- Exhibition on raft-making on the Vltava and the vanished Podskalí
- History of freight and passenger shipping, including the steamboats
- One of the last monuments of the vanished Podskalí
- Customs coat of arms from 1671 above the entrance
- Limnigraph from 1907 opposite the building
Permanent exhibition
- Expozice o Podskalí a vorařství na Vltavě – The exhibition on the first floor explains the building's original purpose, the vanished Podskalí and life on the Vltava, from raft-making to shipping.
- Founded
- 1946
- Operated by
- Muzeum hlavního města Prahy
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 80 Kč |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 50 Kčyoung people aged 7–26 and seniors from 65 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 6 · Children under 7 enter free. |
| Seniors | 50 Kčfrom 65 years |
| Students & apprentices | 50 Kčyoung people aged 7–26 |
| Families | 160 KčFamily admission 2+4 (2 adults and up to 4 children). |
Tickets are valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult over 18.
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 is not barrier-free.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 160 Kč · Family admission 2+4 (2 adults and up to 4 children). |
Prams can be left in the cloakroom of the building. Children under 7 enter free, and family admission is available.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Restaurant
- Coat check
There is a pub on the ground floor of the building. Prams can be left in the cloakroom.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
