The classic image of Prague is one of soaring Gothic spires, atmospheric cobbled lanes, moody medieval towers, and splendid stone bridges. But there’s a lot more to the Golden City than mere eye candy, with a rich cultural heritage that takes in Jewish history, contemporary art, Franz Kafka, Lego, Antonín Dvořák and… medieval sex toys. We’ve put together a whistle stop guide to 10 of the best museums in Prague, covering everything from the absolutely essential to the weird and wonderful and including:
- The Jewish Museum
- The Illusion Art Museum
- The Sex Machines Museum
- Museum Kampa
- The Story of Prague Museum
- The Museum of Communism
- …and more!
The Jewish Museum
Not just a museum, but an entire mini district comprising several synagogues, a gallery and a haunting 15th-century cemetery, the Jewish Museum is one of Prague’s most-visited attractions. And it’s easy to see why. The Spanish Synagogue’s eye-popping Moorish interior is worth the price of entry alone, but there’s so much more to see and do here. We’re talking one of the largest collections of Jewish artifacts in the world: some 40,000+ objects including paintings, prints, textiles and ceremonial silverware. Many of these are used to great effect in exhibitions that cover Jewish history, culture and tradition, as well as chronicling the moving stories of Holocaust victims and survivors. Don’t miss the spectacular three-tiered Torah Ark in the Klausen Synagogue.
Getting in: entry to the Jewish Museum is included with the Go Prague pass.
The Story of Prague Castle
There are several museums and galleries within the 17-acre hilltop complex that makes up Prague Castle. Hit up the Prague Castle Picture Gallery for a masterclass in European art, including Velázquez, Rubens, Titian and others. And discover the fortress’s near-1,000-year history at The Story of Prague Castle inside the opulent Old Royal Palace. This extraordinary exhibition traces the entire history of the castle complex and the people who have lived and worked here – from presidents and Bohemian kings to goldsmiths and servants.
Getting in: entry to Prague Castle is included with the Go Prague pass.
Museum Kampa
You’ll find Museum Kampa, one of the best art museums in Prague, on the banks of the Vltava. Indeed, you can’t really miss it, thanks to the iconic modernist pieces displayed in the grounds. We’re talking a phalanx of waddling yellow penguins right on the river’s edge, a giant sculpted chair by Magdalena Jetelová (visible from the other side of the river, no less) and, perhaps most famously, a collection of Czech artist David Černý’s creepy giant baby sculptures (which you can also spot crawling up the side of the Žižkov TV Tower.) Inside, the substantial collection of works by abstract art maestro František Kupka is a museum highlight.
Getting in: entry to Museum Kampa is included with the Go Prague pass.
Museum of Communism
The small-but-perfectly-formed Museum of Communism is a celebration of Czech resolve in the face of Soviet oppression, and features a superb collection of Communist propaganda materials, plus weaponry, uniforms and photographs from the era. There’s even a reconstructed school classroom and factory inside.
Getting in: adult tickets cost 380 CZK and are available at the front desk.
Sex Machines Museum
Adults only, please! This extensive collection features hundreds of erotic objects and sex toys of yore, including chastity belts, medieval mechanical sex aids, and even shoes worn by prostitutes in Ancient Greece. Drop by the erotic cinema for naughty black-and-white movies from the early 20th Century, and prepare for eye-opening insights into how our ancestors… did it.
Getting in: entry costs 300 CZK and tickets can be bought at the front desk. This attraction is strictly for over-18s only.
Illusion Art Museum
This one’s for all the Insta addicts out there. The clue’s in the name: the Illusion Art Museum (or IAM for brevity) features a range of interactive installations, all designed to help you bag that ultimate selfie thanks to mind-blowing 3D effects, spatial illusions and cool metallurgical and lenticular art.
Getting in: entry to IAM is included with the Go Prague pass.
The National Museum
This one’s a biggie. In fact, this monumental neo-renaissance building (and its smaller satellite sites) contains the largest museum in Czechia. Prepare for a deep dive into the national psyche via diplodocus bones, prehistoric meteorites, Czech crown jewels, and an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures that take in some of Europe’s finest, from Rembrandt to Rodin. The Antonín Dvořák Museum annex is catnip for classical music buffs. Step inside to be wowed by the world’s largest collection of Dvořák artifacts, including portraits, letters, and his piano.
Getting in: you can buy tickets for all National Museum exhibitions online.
Museum of Bricks
The world’s largest private Lego collection, featuring over 3,000 models and sculptures across 20 themed zones, plus an interactive play zone? Say no more.
Getting in: entry to the Museum of Bricks is included with the Go Prague pass.
Kafka Museum
Here’s a museum that pays tribute to its star in the best possible way: by being as surreal, disorienting and avant garde as Kafka’s writing. Sure, the Kafka Museum features all the stuff you might expect: photos, first editions, an exhibition about Kafka’s life in and around the Jewish Ghetto, and installations that bring iconic Kafka works including ‘The Trial’ and ‘Metamorphosis’ to life. But there’s also an apparently infinite neon-red staircase and a maze of oversized filing cabinets to get lost in. Don’t miss David Černý’s courtyard sculpture – two men urinating into a Czechia-shaped fountain – if you can find your way back outside, that is.
Getting in: entry costs 300 CZK and tickets are available at the front desk.
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