Uměleckoprůmyslové museum v Praze

About the museum

The Museum of Decorative Arts was founded at the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Trades. In February 1885 it held its first exhibition in the Rudolfinum; a year later it opened its first permanent exhibition, and in 1887 it made its library and reading room accessible. The first curator and director was Karel Chytil. An important supporter was the collector Vojtěch Lanna, who donated half of his glass collection to the museum.

The present building in Josefov was designed by Josef Schulz in the style of the French Neo-Renaissance. The shell was built in 1897–1898, the interior was completed in 1900, and the first floor, with the collections and a public library, was ceremonially opened. During the war the building was occupied by the company Junkers, and the collections were distributed to various locations. In 1949 the museum was nationalised; in 1959–1969 it belonged to the National Gallery, and from 1970 it has again been independent, run by the Ministry of Culture. In 2014–2017 the historic building was reconstructed and modernised.

The collections number approximately half a million objects from antiquity to the present day: glass, porcelain and ceramics, applied graphics and photography, textiles, fashion and design, furniture, clocks, metalwork, jewellery and toys. The glass collection is one of the largest in the world. The museum also runs other branches, including the House At the Black Mother of God, which holds an exhibition of Czech Cubism.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition Art, Life: around 1,300 objects of European applied art from antiquity to design
• One of the largest glass collections in the world
• House At the Black Mother of God with the exhibition Czech Cubism
• Neo-Renaissance building by Josef Schulz from 1897–1900, next to the Old Jewish Cemetery
• Josef Sudek Gallery with photography exhibitions

Permanent exhibitions

• Art, Life. Umění pro život – The long-term exhibition in the historic building presents European applied art from antiquity to contemporary design in six thematic halls. Around 1,300 objects from the museum's collections are on display.
• Český kubismus – The permanent exhibition in the House At the Black Mother of God, a separate museum building on Ovocný trh; it includes interactive zones and worksheets.

Founded

1885

Operated by

Ministerstvo kultury České republiky

Director

Radim Vondráček

Visitors per year

approx. 70,182

Admission & discounts

The price stated applies to the permanent exhibition Art, Life in the main building; individual short-term exhibitions cost CZK 80, 150 or 180 (reduced CZK 40, 80 or 90). When tickets are bought online via GoOut, a fee of CZK 15 is charged. Free admission is also granted to holders of AMG, ICOM and National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) cards and to members of the Art History Society. Kamenice nad Lipou Chateau: CZK 150, reduced CZK 60, family CZK 240 (2 adults and up to 3 children under 15).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

According to the museum, the historic building is fully step-free; the main entrance is from the garden at Široká 1. Step-free toilets are opened with a Euro key. A wheelchair can be lent on request for visitors with reduced mobility. The House At the Black Mother of God is also step-free and has a lift. The Josef Sudek Gallery is not step-free; there are two steps in front of the entrance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Children under 15 enter free. For families there is an illustrated guide “With Coloured Pencils through the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague” (at the ticket office or in the online shop), and a search game for young and old for CZK 30. Activity zones can be found in the exhibitions Glass Pléiades and Czech Cubism and in the Josef Sudek Gallery. The museum also runs workshops for children; details are in the section Museum for Children.

Getting there & parking

The step-free exit from the Staroměstská metro and tram stop is at Franz Kafka Square; the museum entrance is from the garden at the corner of Široká and 17. listopadu streets. House At the Black Mother of God (Ovocný trh 19): metro line A Můstek, metro line B Náměstí Republiky, trams 6, 8, 15 and 26. Josef Sudek Gallery (Úvoz 24): trams 22 and 23, Pohořelec stop.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The Museum Shop Modernista is on the ground floor of the historic building and in the House At the Black Mother of God; an online shop is also available. The ocafe.cz café is located only in the Central Depository in Stodůlky, which is not open to the public.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Information on renting the museum's premises is published by the museum as a PDF on its website.

Plan your visit