Ethnographic Museum: Things to See, How to Get There & Nearby Attractions

The Kinský Summer Palace was originally built on the slopes of the former vineyards of Petřín Hill between 1827 and 1831 by architect Heinrich Koch.

The Kinsky family gradually turned the area around it into a landscaped park and garden – now open to public as Kinsky Garden. After the family sold the estate to the Prague town hall, the palace became part of the Ethnographic Museum in 1903.

I live just a short walk from the museum, so it’s always on my list of places to visit. When I was little, I used to come to the Kinský Garden with my grandmother, and remember the elegant white building and the park quite vividly.

These days, I often stop by for a coffee at the museum café and to see the regular exhibitions, which are always beautifully curated. It’s one of the best places in Prague to learn about Czech folk traditions and culture, and I like that every visit feels like a mix of nostalgia and learning something new.

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What to see inside the museum

The museum is part of the National Museum with focus on traditional folk culture of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, including regional folk costumes, traditions and crafts. It was closed to the public for a long time as it was used as an archive, so it’s lovely to visit the inside of the house too.

The newly created permanent exhibition, which was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award in 2007, presents the everyday life and festive moments of traditional village life in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. It includes folk costumes, traditional farming, handmade crafts, home furnishings, and folk art.

A special part of the exhibition introduces visitors to customs and ceremonies connected with the seasons of the year — from Carnival to Christmas — as well as traditions related to different stages of human life.

The museum often puts on different events, such as traditional cake baking, dancing, special exhibitions, concerts or talks.

My local tip – don’t miss…

But, what I love most (and the reason why I visit pretty much every year) are the temporary exhibitions, which are always based in the exhibition rooms downstairs. These are always very well done, perfectly researched and with just enough detail to make them super interesting (but not overwhelmingly so).

Over the years, I’ve seen there Czech Tramping Exhibition, Religious Customs or more recently Folk Customs & Vices, which were all excellent. All temporary exhibitions are always done both in Czech and English language.

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What to expect when you visit

The permanent exhibition is done in more of a traditional way, but it’s interesting enough to walk around, especially if you want to see some of the traditional folk costumes. The temporary exhibitions are always superb and definitely worth visiting.

In my experience, this museum is never as busy (or noisy…) as more known museums in Prague (like the National Museum), so if you enjoy looking around museums in peace and quiet, this is the place to be!

When you come in, you’ll be asked to put large bags in a locker (free, but you need to have 10 CZK for the automatic door key, which you get back afterwards). There is a cafe on the side of the museum, which is also accessible from the outside without museum ticket.

The museum has a small souvenir shop and the staff are lovely and very helpful. The only thing is that not everyone speaks English, so be patient if you need anything.

Practical information for visiting the museum

Location: Kinsky Garden 98, Smichov, Prague 5
Opening Times: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 6 pm (closed on Mondays) – open all year round
Tickets: Adult 100 CZK, Student, Seniors 80 CZK, Children under 15 years old – Free.
Free entry for all: 18 May, 1 June, 17 November

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How to get to Ethnographic Museum in Kinsky Summer Palace from the centre of Prague

My favourite way to get to the museum from Old Town Square is to take a scenic tram route. From Old Town Square, walk about five minutes to the Národní třída tram stop and take tram number 9 in the direction of Sídliště Řepy.

Get off at Svandovo Divadlo stop after about two stops, which takes around 5 minutes. From there, walk about five to seven minutes uphill through the Kinský Garden (Kinského zahrada) to reach the museum, located inside the park. The whole journey takes roughly 20 to 25 minutes.

Alternatively, you can take the metro from Staroměstská station on line A (the green line) to Malostranská, then transfer to tram number 12 or 20 toward Sídliště Barrandov, get off at Svandovo Divadlo, and walk through the Kinský Garden to the museum. This option takes about 25 to 30 minutes in total.

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My favourite things to see within walking distance from the museum

After visiting the museum, you can take a relaxing walk through the garden’s winding paths to see the ponds and sculptures. Just above the garden you can see the historic Hunger Wall, a medieval fortification built during the reign of Emperor Charles IV, which marks the edge of Petřín Hill.

From there, you can continue your walk up Petřín Hill, a popular viewpoint covered in trees and gardens, leading to the famous Petřín Tower, often called Prague’s “mini Eiffel Tower,” which has beautiful panoramic views of the city.

Nearby, you can also spot the vast Strahov Stadium, once one of the largest stadiums in the world, now used for events and sports activities.

If you’d like to take a break, you can enjoy a coffee right at the museum’s own café, which has a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by greenery. My other favourite nearby option is Spot Café at Kinský Square, a cozy place popular with locals.

If you feel like exploring a bit more, you can walk toward Újezd, where you’ll find several small cafés and restaurants, or continue uphill to the Strahov Monastery, where you can enjoy a coffee or local beer and some of the best views of Prague.

This blog post was originally written on 25 October 2025 and last updated on 25 October 2025