Bedřich Smetana Museum

The Bedřich Smetana Memorial in Jabkenice occupies a former gamekeeper's lodge where the Czech composer lived out the final years of his life. The building originally served as the forestry office of the Thurn-Taxis family, who managed the surrounding woodland. From 1875, it became home to Smetana's son-in-law, Josef Schwarz, husband of his daughter Žofie — and it was here, already completely deaf, that the composer wrote much of his most important late work before his death in 1884.

What is inside?

The current permanent exhibition, opened in 2003, is devoted specifically to Smetana's Jabkenice years. His study and the family salon have been reconstructed from period accounts, furnished in part with original pieces that belonged to the family, alongside personal mementos, letters and photographs documenting daily life at the lodge. One room displays paintings by Smetana's grandson, Zdeněk Schwarz, and visitors can request to listen to recordings of Smetana's own compositions — a fitting way to experience music that was actually written within these walls.

It was in Jabkenice that Smetana composed the operas "The Kiss" (Hubička) and "The Secret" (Tajemství), several string quartets, the cycles "Dreams" (Sny) and "Czech Dances" (České tance), choral works, and completed his best-known achievement, the symphonic cycle "Má vlast" (My Country) — one of the cornerstones of Czech national music.

How do you get there?

Jabkenice lies south of Mladá Boleslav, tucked into a quiet, wooded corner of Central Bohemia. Driving is by far the most practical option — this is genuinely rural countryside, with none of the tourist traffic you'd find in Prague, which only reinforces the sense of the isolation Smetana sought out here after leaving the capital.

When should you visit?

From April to September the memorial is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00–17:00, with guided tours departing every hour on the hour (last entry at 16:00). Outside that season, from October to March, a visit needs to be arranged in advance by phone. Spring and early autumn are especially rewarding times to come, since the surrounding forest — once the Thurn-Taxis hunting grounds — is also well suited to a longer walk after the tour.

Who is this for?

The memorial rewards anyone with an interest in Czech musical history, or travelers looking for a small, atmospheric biographical museum well off the beaten path. It pairs naturally with a visit to the separate Bedřich Smetana Museum in Prague, which covers his life and work against the backdrop of the capital — Jabkenice, by contrast, shows the private, family side of his final years.

Frequently asked questions

How is the Jabkenice memorial different from the Bedřich Smetana Museum in Prague? The Prague museum, located right by Charles Bridge, covers Smetana's entire life and career in an urban setting. The Jabkenice memorial focuses solely on the last years he spent at the forest lodge, showing his private, family surroundings rather than his broader public career.

Can you visit without a guided tour? No — visits run as guided tours that depart on the hour during the open season.

Is there anything to see besides the exhibition itself? The surrounding woods, once part of the Thurn-Taxis estate, offer peaceful walking trails that pair well with a visit to the house.

Do you need to book in advance? During the April–September season, no booking is required — just arrive in time for one of the hourly tours. Outside that period, a phone reservation is mandatory.