Prachatické muzeum

About the museum

The Prachatice Museum was founded in 1904 by a museum society, and its collections were first housed on the ground floor of the town hall. Only in 1946 did the town acquire for the museum the house of the Žďárský family on the Velké náměstí, known as the Sitr House. It is a Renaissance burgher house with a Gothic core, rebuilt in 1604. It is one of the most beautiful houses in Prachatice thanks to the rich painted decoration of its façade by Šebestián Hájek, a native of Prachatice, which includes allegories of virtues as well as a gallery of Czech rulers.

After the complete reconstruction of the building, completed in 1992, permanent exhibitions gradually came into being. In 1993 exhibitions on the archaeology of the Prachatice area, on the Renaissance town and on urban culture of the 19th century were opened; later an exhibition on the sacred monuments of the region was added. For the museum's centenary the exhibition Muzeum za císaře pána (The Museum in the Emperor's Time) was created, whose core, a period reconstruction of the original museum, became a permanent exhibition.

In 2010, for the millennium celebrations of the Zlatá stezka, a new exhibition on this medieval trade route was opened, prepared after years of research in cooperation with the South Bohemian Museum and the University of Passau. In 2012 a new exhibition, Prachatice – pohled do minulosti města (Prachatice – a look into the town's past), followed. Visitors can also find today an exhibition devoted to the bishop and saint John Nepomucene Neumann, a native of Prachatice, and an exhibition on the changes in the Prachatice District in the 20th century.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition Zlatá stezka with a touch model of the trade route
• Renaissance Sitr House with the painted façade of Šebestián Hájek
• Exhibition Renesance – zlatý věk města, with a session of the town council from 1609
• Period reconstruction of the original museum from the time of the “Emperor” (císař pán)
• Exhibition on the native saint John Nepomucene Neumann

Permanent exhibitions

• Zlatá stezka – The exhibition presents the results of research into the medieval salt trade route and offers a large touch model of the Zlatá stezka, interactive kiosks and a section in the courtyard wing.
• Renesance – zlatý věk města – The exhibition shows Prachatice in the 16th century under the Rosenberg family (Rožmberkové), when it became a prosperous Renaissance town, including a figurative scene of a session of the town council from 1609.
• Životní pouť svatého Jana Nepomuka Neumanna – The exhibition introduces the life of the native of Prachatice who became a bishop in Philadelphia and was canonised, and displays objects relating to him.

Founded

1904

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every last open Sunday of the month (open days, for example 25 October, 29 November and 27 December 2026).

Prices apply to the permanent exhibitions. Free admission is also granted to nursery and primary schools holding a card of the Kruh přátel Prachatického muzea (Circle of Friends of the Prachatice Museum), to members of the Circle of Friends and to holders of an AMG card. Payment is possible in cash or by card.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• 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 museum is housed in a historic house on sloping terrain; a stone threshold 10 cm high leads to the entrance, and there is no doorbell at the entrance. On the ground floor is the Zlatá stezka exhibition, for which staff install ramps over the steps, but a wheelchair user needs assistance. The exhibitions on the 1st and 2nd floors are accessible only by stairs. The barrier-free WC by the lecture hall can be used on request at the ticket office with the assistance of staff. Spaces for holders of a ZTP card are reserved in the upper part of the square. There is no induction loop in any part of the museum. Full information on accessibility is on the page Informace pro znevýhodněné osoby (Information for Persons with Disadvantages).

Kids & families

• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities: not available

The exhibitions are accessible for parents with children, but a pushchair cannot be used throughout the building and there is no baby changing table. Creative programmes are available for schools, for example Sůl na Zlaté stezce (Salt on the Golden Trail), Život ve středověku (Life in the Middle Ages), Easter egg decorating and Christmas decorations.

Getting there & parking

The museum stands in the northern part of the sloping Velké náměstí; the square is paved with coarse historic cobbles.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum sells publications and postcards. Free internet is available in the museum library.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit