Petrof Museum

Petrof Museum is a new permanent exhibition dedicated to the story of one of Europe's oldest piano makers, opened in November 2025 right in the centre of Hradec Králové. It occupies a restored wood-processing hall next to the town's information centre on the Elišky embankment, making it an easy stop to combine with a walk through the historic core.

What is on display?

The exhibition walks visitors through more than 160 years of the PETROF brand, starting with the oldest surviving instrument from 1865 and continuing through to today's models, which still blend traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. Among the standout pieces is the "Magic Egg", a strikingly futuristic upright piano designed by Robert Fišera, whose rounded, egg-like shell breaks completely with the classic image of a keyboard instrument. Just as memorable is a 1929 pianola, a mechanical player piano that could reproduce music on its own using perforated paper rolls, a genuine technological curiosity of its era. For anyone curious about how a piano actually works, there is also an upright piano stripped of its cabinet, exposing the entire hammer action mechanism that turns a key press into sound. The collection is rounded out with archival documents and memorabilia connected to the Petrof family, including founder Antonín Petrof and his wife Marie Petrofová, whose company still operates in the city today.

What makes this exhibition different?

Petrof Museum leans heavily into interactivity. A dedicated software installation links live music with visual art: when a visitor sits down and improvises on a piano, the performance is converted in real time into a moving image projected on a large screen. This turns the museum into something more than a static display case — it works just as well for families with children or visitors who have never touched a piano as it does for instrument enthusiasts.

How to get there and when to visit?

The museum sits at Eliščino nábřeží 626 in Hradec Králové, in an easily walkable riverside part of town close to the historic centre. It is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, though it closes on Sundays between November and March, which is worth keeping in mind if you are visiting outside the summer season. Beyond the exhibition itself, guided tours are available both inside the museum and at the still-active PETROF factory nearby, where visitors can follow the whole production process step by step, from raw wood to a finished, tuned instrument.

Who should visit?

The museum suits travellers looking for an unusual cultural stop in Hradec Králové as much as anyone interested in craftsmanship and industrial history — PETROF is one of only a handful of European piano manufacturers that have operated continuously since the 19th century. A visit to the exhibition alone typically takes about an hour, so it fits easily alongside other sightseeing in the city.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a visit to Petrof Museum take? The permanent exhibition itself usually takes about an hour to see; a full visit that includes the factory tour takes longer, so allow extra time if you want to see production as well.

Can you also tour the PETROF factory? Yes, alongside the museum exhibition there are separate factory tours that show, step by step, how PETROF pianos and grand pianos are built.

Is the museum open every day? The museum is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, but from November to March it is closed on Sundays.

Can visitors actually play a piano inside the museum? Yes — an interactive installation lets visitors improvise freely on a piano while their playing is turned into a live visual projection on screen.