Muzeum války 1866
Museum on Chlum near Hradec Králové, which in a new exhibition from 2026 tells the story of the battle of July 1866 through personal stories and a mobile app.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of the 1866 War stands on Chlum, not far from the places where the battle of Hradec Králové took place on 3 July 1866. It was the largest field battle on the territory of today’s Czech Republic and a turning point in the rivalry between Prussia and Austria. The museum was founded in 1936 and is today a department of the East Bohemian Museum in Hradec Králové. A new building was added to it in 2008–2010.
The new exhibition was opened to the public on 3 July 2026. It does not want to be a military museum focused only on equipment and tactics, but a war museum for the 21st century. It brings the conflict closer through personal stories of soldiers and civilians, told in comic-strip form. It is complemented by a mobile app with augmented reality, which shows artillery positions, trenches and the movements of troops across the battlefield. The exhibition ends with a message about the impact of war on the European continent.
The surrounding battlefield is also part of the visit. Almost 500 monuments make up the largest collection of funerary architecture in the Czech Republic. Members of the Committee for the Maintenance of War Memorials on the Hradec Králové Battlefield have been looking after them since 1888, and in 1996 the battlefield was declared a monument zone.
Next to the museum building stands a steel observation tower from 1999, which replaced a wooden tower from the end of the 19th century. The viewing platform is 35 metres high, and on a clear day it offers a panorama of the Krkonoše mountains.
Highlights
- New 2026 exhibition on the battle of Hradec Králové, told through the stories of soldiers and civilians
- Comic-strip presentation of the fates, and a mobile app with augmented reality
- Observation tower with a viewing platform at 35 m
- Almost 500 monuments on the battlefield
- Tactile elements for trying on soldiers’ equipment and treating the wounded
Permanent exhibition
- Nová expozice Muzea války 1866 – The exhibition tells of the battle of Hradec Králové from the perspective of soldiers and civilians, using comics, tactile elements and a mobile app with augmented reality.
- Founded
- 1936
- Operated by
- Muzeum východních Čech v Hradci Králové
- Director
- Mgr. Jan Hrubecký (vedoucí muzea)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 100 Kč |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 60 Kčstudents up to 26 with a valid ISIC card, seniors aged 65 and over on proof of age, and war veterans |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Children and young people up to 19 enter free. |
| Seniors | 60 KčFrom 65, on proof of age. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Holders of a ZTP/P card and their companion enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | 60 KčStudents up to 26 with a valid ISIC card; students of the Hradec Králové universities in selected fields enter free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –A guided tour of the battlefield and the exhibition for pre-booked groups of 10 or more costs CZK 150 per person. Expert commentary for booked groups carries a surcharge of CZK 50 per person, or CZK 70 per person in English (booking 2 days in advance). |
| Families | –Holders of the Family Pass CZ pay CZK 185 under the price list; the discount does not apply to the observation tower. |
| Observation tower – basic admission | 50 KčReduced admission of CZK 30 for students up to 26, seniors aged 65 and over and war veterans. |
| Observation tower and museum – basic admission | 120 KčReduced admission CZK 80. |
| Educational and accompanying programme for primary and secondary schools (price per pupil) | 90 KčTeacher supervision free. |
| Educational and accompanying programme for nursery schools (price per child) | 30 KčTeacher supervision free. |
Free admission: Free admission on 24 January, 18 May, Museum Night, 23 August, European Heritage Days (15–19 September 2026), 28 October, 11 November and 17 November.
The price list applies from 3 July 2026. Holders of the Senior Pass CZ pay CZK 50 for the basic museum admission under the price list. Free admission is also granted to members of the Museum Friends Club, holders of AMG and ICOM cards, journalists with a press card and other groups listed in the price list. A 10% discount applies to members of the UHK alumni club.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Dogs and other animals are not allowed in the building, except guide and assistance dogs accompanying a person with a disability. The observation tower has 182 steps and no lift. There are tactile elements in the exhibition.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 18 |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
The stories in the exhibition are told in comic form, and with the tactile elements visitors can try on parts of military equipment and learn about the treatment of the wounded. Children and young people up to 19 enter free; children under 12 must be accompanied by adults. Pushchairs are allowed in the building.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Všestary, Chlum – kostel · 1 km
Train: stops at Všestary or Dlouhé Dvory (about 4 km on foot). Bus: stops at Všestary, Chlum – kostel or Všestary, Lípa – hlavní silnice (about 1 km on foot).
By car
Parking available
The car park is directly next to the museum.
A red-marked hiking trail leads from Všestary to the museum; the museum can also be reached along the cycling and nature trails across the 1866 battlefield.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for personal use is permitted without an external flash or tripod; filming and sound recordings only with the consent of the museum director. |
| Good to know | The standard visit is individual. Guided tours of the exhibition and the battlefield can be booked by phone on 495 447 058 or 731 562 419 (booking at least one day in advance). A group may have at most 30 people. Children under 12 may enter the exhibition only accompanied by adults. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the visitor areas. A mobile app with augmented reality can be downloaded for the exhibition. The educational programme on the battle, for primary and secondary schools and universities, lasts 90 minutes and costs CZK 90 per pupil; from October to April, Monday to Wednesday is more convenient for schools, as there is no regular operation then. |
