Muzeum Dr. Bohuslava Horáka v Rokycanech

Dr. Bohuslav Horák Museum in Rokycany sits right in the historic centre of Rokycany, a town in western Bohemia, and operates as a branch of the West Bohemian Museum in Pilsen. It combines historical, ethnographic and natural-history collections, with one of the country's most significant assemblages of Lower Paleozoic fossils as its centerpiece.

How did the museum come to be?

The idea of a museum in Rokycany was revived in 1904 by professor Bohuslav Horák, whose name the institution still carries. It opened its doors a year later, on 24 September 1905, initially occupying just two rooms in a local civic school. In 1931 the collections moved into the former girls' school building next to the church in the town centre - the same building the museum still occupies today.

What can you see inside?

The visitor route covers six permanent exhibitions. One traces traditional iron production in the Rokycany and Podbrdsko region from the 14th century through the mid-20th century. Another, "Bydlení na Rokycansku," shows how rural life and housing looked across the region. "Rokycansko v minulosti" walks visitors through local history from the Iron Age up to the founding of Czechoslovakia. The museum's signature exhibition, though, is "Otisky času" (Imprints of Time), showcasing fossils from the oldest geological periods found in the Barrandien area. The collection holds roughly 130,000 paleontological specimens, mostly from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods of the early Paleozoic. Since 2016 the museum has also had a new exhibition hall, created after renovating a former museum building, used for temporary exhibitions and lectures.

When to visit and how to get there?

The museum stands at nám. J. Urbana 141, right in the centre of Rokycany, an easy walk from the train or bus station. It's open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 to 16:00, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30; it's closed on Mondays. Beyond the permanent displays, the museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions and talks, so it's worth checking what's on before a visit.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the museum located? At nám. J. Urbana 141 in the centre of Rokycany, in the former girls' school building next to the church.

How long does a visit take? Seeing all six permanent exhibitions typically takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on pace and interest in individual sections.

What is the museum's main highlight? Its collection of roughly 130,000 Lower Paleozoic fossils, displayed in the "Otisky času" exhibition and drawn from the geologically remarkable Barrandien area.

Is the museum open on Mondays? No, the museum is closed on Mondays. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, 8:00-16:00, with a break from 12:00 to 12:30.