Portmoneum – Museum Josefa Váchala
House in Litomyšl with the only surviving interior painted by Josef Váchal, an exhibition on Váchal, Portman and Horáček, and a video mapping show.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The civil servant and art collector Josef Portman, a friend of Josef Váchal, invited Váchal to Litomyšl in 1920 to decorate his house. Between 1920 and 1924, Váchal gradually painted the rooms with murals and also carved and painted the furniture. In the 1970s, a fire damaged both the house and Váchal's work.
In 1990 Ladislav Horáček, owner of the publishing house Paseka, bought the house from the National Gallery and had it restored. The restorers saved the paintings using a transfer technique for oil paintings, developed especially for this purpose. The house opened to the public on 23 June 1993 as the Museum Josefa Váchala (Josef Váchal Museum).
In 2016 the heirs of Ladislav Horáček sold the property to the Pardubice Region, and the Regional Museum in Litomyšl took over its administration. Today the Portmoneum is the only surviving interior decorated by Josef Váchal and a monument of pan-European significance. On the ground floor is a permanent exhibition about the three men connected with the house; in the attic there is a multimedia exhibition, and in the exhibition hall a new exhibition is held every year.
Highlights
- painted rooms and carved furniture by Josef Váchal, the only interior of its kind preserved
- permanent exhibition on Josef Váchal, Josef Portman and Ladislav Horáček
- video mapping on the life and work of Josef Váchal (15 minutes)
- documentary film Příběh neobyčejného domu (The Story of an Extraordinary House) on the history of the Portmoneum (45 minutes)
- following the traces of J. Váchal, A. Macková and J. Portman around the Vysočina Region
Permanent exhibition
- Josef Váchal, Josef Portman a Ladislav Horáček – The permanent exhibition on the ground floor presents the three men connected with the history of the house. The main attraction is Josef Váchal's painted rooms and the furniture he carved and painted, complemented by the history of the house and the restoration of the paintings.
- Founded
- 1993
- Operated by
- Regionální muzeum v Litomyšli (zřizovatel Pardubický kraj)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 100 Kč |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 80 Kčchildren aged 6–15, secondary and university students with proof of status, seniors over 65 and holders of a Senior Pass |
| Children & teens | 80 Kčfree up to age 5 · Children aged 6–15 pay CZK 80; children under 6 enter free. On every Thursday, children aged 6–15 and students enter free. |
| Seniors | 80 KčSeniors over 65 and holders of a Senior Pass. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 50 Kčcompanion free · Holders of ZTP cards pay CZK 50; holders of ZTP/P cards and their companions enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | 80 KčSecondary and university students with a student card. |
| Groups | 60 Kč per personSchool groups pay CZK 60 per student, including a guided tour. |
| Families | 280 KčFamily admission for two adults and children; family passes CZK 220. |
| Combined admission to the Regional Museum, the Rodný byt Bedřicha Smetany (Bedřich Smetana's Birthplace Flat) and the Portmoneum – basic | 200 KčReduced CZK 160, family CZK 530 (family passes CZK 440). |
Free admission: On the first Thursday of each month, all visitors enter free (not applicable to trips and organised groups); every Thursday, children aged 6–15 and students enter free.
Free admission is also granted to children from children's homes and SOS villages, holders of AMG and ICOM cards, journalists and school supervisors. A group tour outside opening hours costs ten times the basic admission (for up to 10 persons).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kids
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 280 Kč · Family admission for two adults and children; family passes CZK 220. |
Children under 10 may enter only accompanied by adults. Children under 6 enter free, and family admission applies.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Litomyšl – Lidická ulice · 160 m
Buses can drop passengers at the stop Litomyšl – zámek (300 m) or Litomyšl – Lidická ulice (160 m).
By car
Parking available
Parking is possible directly in front of the museum, but the museum has no reserved parking space.
Amenities & 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 |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming inside the museum are forbidden because of the copyright of Josef Váchal. |
| Good to know | The museum can be visited independently, with an audio guide, and guided tours are offered to booked groups. Children under 10 may enter only accompanied by adults; umbrellas and luggage are not allowed in the exhibition. |
