Památník Karla Čapka

About the museum

The memorial is housed in an Empire-style house in Stará Huť near Dobříš, where iron was processed in the 19th century. The site is called Strž after a nearby pond. After the First World War the estate was bought from the Colloredo-Mannsfeld family by Václav Palivec, the administrator of their estate, and in 1935 he gave the house as a wedding present for lifelong use to Karel Čapek and the actress Olga Scheinpflugová.

In the last three years of his life the writer adapted the house and garden and spent his summers there. At Strž works such as War with the Newts, White Disease, Journey to the North and The First Gang came into being. Čapek also received many personalities of Czech cultural and political life there, especially in the summer of 1938.

The museum at Strž was founded in 1995, and a new exhibition opened in 1997. It presents Karel Čapek and Olga Scheinpflugová, and in the attic there is a separate exhibition on the journalist and writer Ferdinand Peroutka. Since 2003 the memorial has been a contributory organization of the Central Bohemian Region. The complex also includes a garden, a small monument to Dášeňka from 2013 and three loops of the Karel Čapek nature trail around Strž.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition on the lives and work of Karel Čapek and Olga Scheinpflugová
• Separate exhibition on Ferdinand Peroutka in the attic of the house
• Garden with the Dášeňka monument
• Karel Čapek nature trail with three loops
• Exhibition on the history of ironworks and forges in the Strž area

Permanent exhibitions

• Život a dílo Karla Čapka, Olgy Scheinpflugové a Ferdinanda Peroutky – The permanent exhibition in the house at Strž presents the life and work of Karel Čapek and his wife Olga Scheinpflugová; in the attic there is a separate section on Ferdinand Peroutka.
• Po stopách hutí a hamrů v kraji Čapkovy Strže – The exhibition recalls the industrial past of the Strž area, where ironworks and forges once stood.

Founded

1995

Operated by

Středočeský kraj (příspěvková organizace)

Director

Ing. Zdeněk Vacek, Ph.D.

Admission & discounts

Free admission is also granted to children under 6, holders of AMG and ICOM cards, and holders of the Pasu pěstouna (foster care pass). Payment is possible in cash or by card, both in the museum and in the bistro.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• 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

Because of the large number of stairs, the house is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility only on the ground floor. It is recommended to call ahead on 725 480 219 so that vehicle access to the grounds can be arranged. Dogs are not allowed into the museum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Worksheets for preschool, primary and secondary school children, and cut-out activities, are prepared for schools. Families can use the family ticket for CZK 250 and the nature trail around Strž.

Getting there & parking

Vehicle access to the grounds for visitors with reduced mobility must be arranged in advance by telephone on 725 480 219.

Amenities & dining

• Café

The bistro is open all year; it offers coffee beans, tea, beer, soft drinks, wine, biscuits and crisps, and in summer ice lollies. In bad weather you can sit in a covered gazebo. A charging station for e-bikes is available.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

A wedding ceremony in the memorial's garden costs CZK 8,000 and includes preparing up to 50 chairs and 20 glasses for a toast; wedding guests enter the exhibition free of charge. The ceremony may last at most 2 hours within opening hours; in rain it takes place inside the house.

Plan your visit