East Bohemian Museum

About

The East Bohemian Museum in Hradec Králové is one of the city’s most striking landmarks, housed in a monumental Art Nouveau building designed by Jan Kotěra in 1909. Its façade alone is worth a pause: sculptural details, symbolic ornaments, and a sweeping staircase that reflects the optimism of early 20th‑century Czech architecture. Inside, the museum reveals the layered story of the region, from prehistoric settlements to modern urban life. Visitors can explore archaeological finds from the Elbe lowlands, including Bronze Age tools and rare burial artefacts. A highlight is the detailed model of Hradec Králové as a Baroque fortress, showing the city before its 19th‑century transformation. The natural history section presents local flora and fauna, with an impressive collection of birds and geological specimens. The museum also preserves traditional folk crafts, textiles, and everyday objects that capture the rhythm of rural life. Temporary exhibitions often focus on design, photography, or regional history, adding fresh perspectives to the permanent displays. The building’s tower offers a unique architectural viewpoint, and the interior retains original Art Nouveau details that make the museum itself part of the experience.

Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Location

The East Bohemian Museum is located on Eliščino nábřeží in the historic city of Hradec Králové in eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, right by the River Labe. Its monumental early 20th‑century building, designed by architect Jan Kotěra, forms one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks and marks the edge of the historic centre. From the museum, it is only a short walk across the river to the Grand (Velké) Square with its picturesque streets, the White Tower lookout, the Gothic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the Marian plague column. Nearby you can also enjoy the riverside promenade and continue towards Jirasek Gardens with the wooden Church of St. Nicholas and views of the confluence of the Labe and Orlice rivers. Within the wider city you will find other attractions such as the Hučák small hydro power plant with its exhibit on renewable energy, the PETROF Museum dedicated to the famous piano maker, and extensive city forests with cycling and walking routes, all easily reachable from the museum area.