Sports Car Museum Lány

Sports Car Museum Lány was a private motoring museum in the village of Lány in Central Bohemia, once home to a striking collection of sports and racing cars — though it is no longer open to visitors today.

What was this place?

The museum opened in 1997 inside converted buildings that had previously served as a self-service shop and farm outbuildings. For more than two decades it displayed one of the more interesting private car collections in the Czech Republic, with around one hundred exhibits spanning early 20th-century automobiles, rally cars, road cars and Formula 1 racers. The museum closed permanently on 31 August 2021, and its operator chose to sell off part of the collection rather than relocate it.

What could visitors see inside?

The heart of the exhibition was a group of Group B rally cars — the legendary category that pushed speed and engineering to their limits in rallying during the late 1970s and 1980s. Among the standout pieces was a Tatra V8 MTX prototype, representing Czech automotive engineering, alongside a replica of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 familiar from the "Back to the Future" film trilogy. The collection also included Formula 1 cars and motorcycles, giving visitors a broad cross-section of motorsport history across different eras. The exhibits were spread across two floors of the main building, with additional pieces kept in a depot that was never open to the public.

Why does this place still matter?

For years, the Sports Car Museum Lány was one of the reasons car enthusiasts made a trip to the area around Lány, a village otherwise best known as the site of the Czech president's summer residence. The museum grounds also included a restaurant and accommodation, making it a natural stop for anyone exploring the wider region on a longer trip. Even though the exhibition is no longer accessible, its story remains an interesting part of the local narrative about private car collecting in the Czech Republic.

Can you still visit the museum?

No — the museum has been closed to visitors since 31 August 2021, and there are currently no plans to reopen it in its previous form. Some of the exhibits have since been put up for sale, and the fate of the remaining collection is uncertain. Anyone planning a trip to the Lány area should keep this in mind and treat the museum as a piece of local history rather than an active attraction.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Lány sits in Central Bohemia, not far from Prague, making it an easy day-trip destination. The wider region is known for the scenic landscapes of the Křivoklátsko area and for the presidential residence, which has served as the Czech head of state's summer seat since the days of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. It makes a good base for travellers looking for a quieter alternative to the more crowded routes closer to the capital.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Sports Car Museum Lány still open? No, the museum closed permanently on 31 August 2021 and is not currently open to visitors.

What kinds of cars were on display? The collection included around one hundred exhibits, among them Group B rally cars, a Tatra V8 MTX prototype, a DeLorean DMC-12 replica, Formula 1 cars and motorcycles.

When was the museum founded? It opened in 1997 in buildings that had previously been a self-service shop and farm outbuildings.

What happened to the exhibits after closure? The operator decided to sell part of the collection instead of moving it elsewhere; the exact fate of the remaining pieces has not been made public.