Východočeská galerie Pardubice

Východočeská galerie Pardubice is still the name most visitors search for, even though the institution has officially been called Gočárova galerie since January 2023. The rebrand didn't come with a closure — it's the same regional art gallery, just relocated to a far more striking home.

Why the name changed

The gallery operated as Východočeská galerie for decades, but its move into a revitalized former mill complex gave it a natural reason to rebrand. The new name honors architect Josef Gočár (1880–1945), who designed the building the gallery has occupied since 2023. For visitors, what matters in practice hasn't changed: it remains the leading gallery of modern and contemporary art in the East Bohemia region, run by the Pardubice Region as a public institution.

Where is the gallery located?

The main exhibition space sits inside the former Winternitz Mills (also known as the Automatic Mills), on the banks of the Chrudimka river. Gočár designed the building early in his career, between 1910 and 1911, giving it raw, striking facades of red and grey unplastered brick in a geometric modernist style — architecture that draws industrial-design enthusiasts almost as strongly as the art inside does. The gallery's second, smaller venue is the House at the Jonáš (Dům U Jonáše) in Pardubice's Old Town, used for more intimate exhibitions.

What will you see inside?

The program centers on 20th- and 21st-century art: permanent displays drawn from the gallery's own collection of modern Czech painting and sculpture, alongside short-term contemporary exhibitions and themed projects. Beyond the exhibition halls in the former mill, the building also houses a gallery library, an educational studio used for workshops and school programs, and a multifunctional hall for accompanying events such as artist talks, lectures, and film screenings. A visit here combines art with an unusual dose of industrial-heritage architecture.

How to get there and when to visit

The gallery at the Automatic Mills sits within easy walking distance of central Pardubice, close to both the main square and the train station. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00–18:00, and closed on Mondays. Visitors who want more than the wall labels can join a guided tour: these run on weekends at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:00, with extra weekday slots in summer (mid-July through the end of August) on Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:00 and 14:00. As a public institution, the gallery typically announces any closures for renovation or maintenance on its own website ahead of time, so it's worth a quick check before a special trip.

Frequently asked questions

Are Východočeská galerie Pardubice and Gočárova galerie the same place? Yes. It's the same institution — the name Východočeská galerie was replaced by Gočárova galerie in January 2023, following the move into the former mill building.

Where exactly is the gallery located? Its main venue is inside the revitalized Winternitz Mills (Automatic Mills) complex on the Chrudimka riverbank, and it has a second, smaller exhibition space at the House at the Jonáš in Pardubice's Old Town.

Who designed the gallery building? The mill building was designed by architect Josef Gočár between 1910 and 1911, early in his career, in a geometric modernist style.

Does the gallery offer guided tours? Yes, guided tours run every weekend at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:00, plus Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:00 and 14:00 during the summer season (July 15 to August 31).