Muzeum luhačovického Zálesí

Muzeum luhačovického Zálesí (Museum of the Luhačovice Zálesí Region) sits right in the middle of Luhačovice, one of the Czech Republic's best-known spa towns. It's a small regional museum dedicated to the folk culture of the surrounding area and to the story of how the spa itself came to be.

A brief history

The museum was founded on 23 July 1918 by Antonín Václavík, an ethnographer who became one of the leading researchers of folk culture in eastern Moravia. Over the decades it moved between several buildings before settling, in the summer of 2007, into the basement level of the Elektra municipal cultural centre on Masarykova street, where it remains today. Administratively, the museum operates as a branch of the Museum of Southeast Moravia in Zlín, which gives it access to a wider regional collection and institutional backing.

What's inside?

The centrepiece is a permanent exhibition called "Known and Unknown Luhačovice," which looks at the town as it was in the early 20th century from three angles at once. First, as the heart of a traditional ethnographic region known as Luhačovické Zálesí, with its own distinct rural culture. Second, as a place built around mineral springs, where a modern spa industry was taking shape. Third, as a specific kind of urban settlement, caught somewhere between village life and resort elegance.

The collection includes printing blocks used for modrotisk (traditional indigo blue-dyed textiles), reconstructed rural room interiors, pottery and faience, folk costumes, glass paintings, and polychrome wood sculptures. Taken together, these objects paint a picture of everyday rural life in the area well before Luhačovice became a fashionable destination for spa guests and artists from across Central Europe.

How do you get there?

The museum is located in the town centre, at Masarykova 950, inside the Elektra cultural house. It's only a short walk from the main spa promenade and colonnade, so it's easy to combine a visit with a stroll through the spa park or a look at the town's Art Nouveau and functionalist buildings.

When should you visit?

The museum is open year-round, Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, with a lunch break in between. That makes it a workable stop both during the busy summer season and in the quieter off-season months.

How much does it cost?

A standard adult ticket costs 70 CZK, a reduced ticket (students and seniors over 65) is 45 CZK, and children aged 6 to 15 pay 35 CZK. Children under 6 and visitors with a disability card (ZTP) enter free of charge. A family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) costs 150 CZK.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the museum? In the basement of the Elektra cultural centre, at Masarykova 950 in Luhačovice, right in the town centre.

Who founded the museum, and when? It was founded on 23 July 1918 by the ethnographer Antonín Václavík.

Is the museum open every day? No, it's closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Sunday it's open 9:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00.

What does the permanent exhibition focus on? "Known and Unknown Luhačovice" presents the town as an ethnographic region, a healing spa destination, and a distinctive urban space — three faces of the same place across its history.