Czech Museum of Silver

The Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora occupies a Gothic building known as Hrádek, on Barborská Street, and tells the story of the town's golden age as one of medieval Europe's richest silver-mining centres. Hrádek itself began life as a small fortress before later serving as a mint, and today it ranks among the most rewarding stops on a walk through Kutná Hora, not far from the famous St Barbara's Cathedral.

What will you see inside?

The exhibition is split into two separate routes that can be visited together or on their own. Route I, "The Town of Silver," walks visitors through Kutná Hora's history from its earliest days to its heyday as a royal mining town, covering the story of Hrádek itself, the life of local nobility in the Middle Ages, and details about the silver coins — Prague groschen — struck here.

Route II, "The Way of Silver," is the more adventurous half of the visit. Guests are handed a lamp, a helmet, and a hooded miner's coat before descending into roughly 250 metres of an authentic medieval gallery. Along the way you'll pass a reconstructed mining workstation with period equipment and the original horse-powered hoisting machine, known as the trejv, once used to haul ore and water up from the shafts.

How were the coins actually made?

The museum lays out the three stages of coin production once carried out in the mint: preparing the raw silver, the minting process itself, and the final coining stage, when cut silver blanks were struck into finished coins. This combination of mining history and monetary history is unusual and is part of what makes Kutná Hora such a distinctive stop on a trip through the Czech Republic.

How do you get there, and how much time should you allow?

The museum sits in the centre of Kutná Hora, within walking distance of the train station and St Barbara's Cathedral, so it fits easily into a day of sightseeing in town. If you plan on covering both routes, including the descent into the mine, budget around 2.5 hours for the full visit. Because the underground route runs through narrow, low-ceilinged passages, it isn't recommended for anyone prone to claustrophobia or for very young children — Route I, by contrast, works well for all ages.

When is the best time to visit?

Kutná Hora gets busy in summer, especially on weekends, so mornings or the shoulder season tend to make for a calmer visit. Because the underground route can only handle a limited number of visitors at a time, queues are common during peak season — arriving early or booking your slot ahead of time is worth the effort.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book tickets in advance? During the summer high season, it's worth reserving a spot on Route II ahead of time, since only a limited number of visitors can descend into the gallery at once.

Is the underground route suitable for children? Route I works well for families. Route II, which runs through a narrow medieval gallery, is less comfortable for young children and anyone with claustrophobia.

How long does a full visit take? Covering both routes, including the descent into the mine, takes about 2.5 hours.

What else is worth seeing nearby? Hrádek is close to St Barbara's Cathedral and the UNESCO-listed historic centre of Kutná Hora, so the museum pairs naturally with a walk around the rest of the town's landmarks.