Východočeské muzeum v Pardubicích
Museum in Pernštejn Castle in Pardubice: Renaissance tour route, armoury, lapidarium, numismatics and exhibitions on weapons.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The origins of the Východočeské muzeum (East Bohemian Museum) go back to 1880, when the statutes of the Pardubice Museum Society were approved. The society wanted to rescue historical monuments and records of the region’s nature. An important milestone came in 1920, when the society, with the support of the town and other supporters, bought Pardubice Castle and made it the seat of the museum. Renaissance wall paintings were discovered during the repairs. In 1953 the collections were nationalised, and in 1964 the East Bohemian Museum was established; after 1989 it became an independent organisation, and since 2001 its founder has been the Pardubice Region.
The castle was built by the Pernštejn family: after 1490 Vilém z Pernštejna rebuilt it into a four-winged Renaissance palace with massive fortifications, and his successors decorated it with paintings that rank among the oldest Renaissance paintings in Bohemia. After the family’s fall in 1560 the castle passed to the king, and in the 18th century František Maxmilián Kaňka remodelled it in the Baroque style. After years of neglect, when the ceilings of the second floor collapsed in 1977, the museum restored the castle after 1993 and from 1997 gradually opened it to the public. In 2010 the castle with its ramparts was declared a national cultural monument.
The museum’s collections contain about 750,000 objects. Visitors can walk through the Pernštejnská rezidence tour route, the Pernštejnská zbrojnice (armoury), the lapidarium, the numismatic display and exhibitions on weapons or on the history of Pardubice’s housing estates, climb the castle tower or see the civil defence shelter.
Highlights
- Pernštejnská rezidence tour route – the oldest Renaissance in Bohemia
- Renaissance paintings in the knights’ halls
- Pernštejnská zbrojnice and the exhibition Příběhy palných zbraní
- Lapidarium in the castle cellar, with free admission
- View from the castle tower and the castle ramparts
Permanent exhibitions
- Pernštejnská rezidence – nejstarší renesance v Čechách – Castle tour route through the Renaissance halls of the Pernštejn palace, with some of the oldest Renaissance paintings in Bohemia; can be visited on your own or with a guide every full hour.
- Lapidárium – Display of stone architectural and sculptural elements in the cellar of Pardubice Castle; admission is free, and guided tours take place at set times.
- Peníze si do hrobu nevezmeš – The museum’s numismatic display.
- Founded
- 1880
- Operated by
- Pardubický kraj (zřizovatel)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 240 Kč |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 130 Kčchildren, pupils and students, seniors over 65, and holders of the Senior Pass |
| Children & teens | 130 Kčfree up to age 4 · Children under 5 enter free. |
| Seniors | 130 KčSeniors over 65 and holders of the Senior Pass. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeHolders of ZTP and ZTP/P cards enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | 130 KčThe reduction must be proven with a card, a certificate of study, an ISIC or a student card; every Thursday, pupils and students up to 26 years old enter the exhibitions free. |
| Groups | –The group ticket for the Pernštejnská rezidence tour route costs CZK 4,000 for a group of up to 25 people. |
| Families | 480 KčFamily tickets for the Pernštejnská rezidence tour route. |
| Museum exhibitions and displays (Příběhy palných zbraní, Život na sídlišti, S.K.L.E.M., Peníze si do hrobu nevezmeš, castle tower, Miloš Fic: Pardubické dostihy) | 290 KčReduced CZK 190, family CZK 490. |
| Children’s tour Na návštěvě u Pernštejnů | 150 KčFamily CZK 430. |
| Exhibition Příběhy palných zbraní | 130 KčReduced CZK 90, family CZK 260. |
| Exhibition Život na sídlišti: Pardubice 1945–2000 | 120 KčReduced CZK 80, family CZK 260. |
| Pernštejnská zbrojnice | 100 KčReduced CZK 70, family CZK 230. |
| Pernštejnská zbrojnice and Příběhy palných zbraní | 200 KčReduced CZK 140, family CZK 440. |
| View from the castle tower | 50 KčReduced CZK 25. |
| Civil defence shelter (tour by appointment) | 180 KčReduced CZK 90. |
| Superhrdinové aneb legendy a pověsti v Pardubicích (for families with children, by appointment) | 100 Kč |
| Tajný kryt (for families with children, by appointment) | 100 Kč |
| Po stopách Pernštejnů v Pardubicích (groups of up to 20 people) | 140 KčReduced CZK 70, group CZK 1,400. |
| Modern architecture in Pardubice in the first half of the 20th century (groups of up to 20 people) | 160 KčReduced CZK 80, group CZK 1,600. |
Free admission: Every Thursday, pupils and students up to 26 years old enter the exhibitions free. The lapidarium is always free.
Prices apply to both independent visits and guided tours; the e-ticket allows a single entry. Holders of Family Passes receive a 20% discount on the Pernštejnská rezidence and on the museum’s exhibitions. Holders of ICOM and AMG cards also enter free. Tickets are sold at the ticket office in the passage of the Labská brána (Elbe Gate) and online.
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
The current exhibitions Život na sídlišti and Příběhy palných zbraní, and part of the Pernštejnská rezidence tour route (the Great Gothic Hall and the Pernštejn armoury), are step-free. The permanent displays S.K.L.E.M., numismatics, the lapidarium and the castle tower are not step-free during the palace’s reconstruction. Contact for visitors with reduced mobility: +420 466 799 271 (ticket office).
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 480 Kč · Family tickets for the Pernštejnská rezidence tour route. |
- Family tours & workshops
For children there is the children’s tour Na návštěvě u Pernštejnů, and by appointment also the tours Superhrdinové aneb legendy a pověsti v Pardubicích and Tajný kryt for families with children. Children under 5 enter free; workshops and programmes for families take place in the castle.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Náměstí Republiky
The castle stands in the town centre at the confluence of the Labe and the Chrudimka and is within easy walking distance of the railway and bus stations. From the town’s public transport you can use the stops Náměstí Republiky, U Grandu or Krajský úřad and continue on foot across Pernštýnské náměstí and along Pernštýnská ulice.
By car
Parking available
Car parking is marked on the map on the page “Kde nás najdete” (Where to find us).
Amenities & dining
- Café
The castle café is open in autumn and winter: closed on Mondays, Tuesday to Friday 14:30–19:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:30–19:00 (phone +420 724 737 199).
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
The castle offers hire of rooms and wedding ceremonies; details are on the museum’s website.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The Pernštejnská rezidence tour takes 60–120 minutes: the guided commentary lasts 60 minutes, after which the route can be explored independently. Group bookings: e-mail rezervace@vcm.cz or phone +420 773 819 028. The ticket office is in the passage of the Labská brána, which is the only entrance to the castle grounds. |
