Skanzen Altamira Kosmonosy

Altamira is a children's archaeological open-air museum in Kosmonosy, a town east of Mladá Boleslav in Central Bohemia. Laid out southwest of the local castle, the site has spent decades as a place where children and teenagers learn archaeology hands-on, by recreating ancient building and craft techniques themselves rather than reading about them.

Where does the name Altamira come from?

The museum takes its name from the famous Altamira cave in Spain, where prehistoric people left behind rock paintings. Kosmonosy has its own small cave with reproduced animal motifs, a nod to that original. The children's association that started the whole project was named Altamira after this same cave.

How did the open-air museum come about?

The story starts in 1986, when participants of a children's camp developed an interest in prehistory and antiquity. That interest gave rise to the Altamira association, bringing together children who wanted to explore ancient eras through practice rather than textbooks. Construction of the open-air museum itself began in 1992, on an unusual choice of ground — a former landfill, gradually turned into an educational and recreational space.

What is there to see on site?

The Altamira grounds hold nine structures modeled on prehistoric dwellings and installations, supplemented by examples of medieval craft workshops. Visitors can see a bakery and a weaving workshop, metalworking and pottery stations, a semi-subterranean Celtic dwelling, a site once used for ritual offerings, and a medieval glass furnace. One of the museum's distinctive features is a scaled-down replica of the megalithic monument Stonehenge. Alongside the reconstructed structures, the site hosts a permanent exhibition of objects made through children's experimental archaeology — pieces produced by camp and workshop participants using the same methods people once relied on in earlier eras.

Who runs Altamira today, and when can you visit?

Since 2010 the site has been run by Sopea, an association devoted to nature conservation and experimental archaeology. Summer camps for children take place here during the season, and every June the site hosts a festival of children's experimental archaeology, where young participants present the results of their work. It's worth keeping in mind that the open-air museum isn't open to the public on a daily basis — it mainly opens for camps, festivals, and other special events, so a visit is best planned around the dates of an upcoming event.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Altamira open-air museum located? In Kosmonosy, southwest of the town's castle, in Central Bohemia near Mladá Boleslav.

Where does the name Altamira come from? From the Altamira cave in Spain, famous for its prehistoric rock paintings — the museum includes its own small cave inspired by that original.

When was the open-air museum built? Construction began in 1992, on the site of a former landfill, following the 1986 founding of the children's Altamira association.

What can visitors see there? Nine prehistoric structures, medieval craft workshops (a bakery, a weaving workshop, metalworking and pottery stations), a semi-subterranean Celtic dwelling, a ritual offering site, a glass furnace, and a scaled-down Stonehenge replica.

Is the museum always open to visitors? No — Altamira isn't open to the public on a regular schedule. It mainly opens during summer camps and special events, including the June festival of children's experimental archaeology.

Who manages the site? Since 2010 it has been run by Sopea, an association for nature conservation and experimental archaeology.