Museum of Communism in Prague - Visiting Guide + Honest Review 2026

This museum gives you a real glimpse into what life was like in Czechoslovakia during the communist years, from when the Communist Party took over in February 1948 all the way to the Velvet Revolution in November 1989. The exhibitions include everyday life stories, politics, history, sport, economy, education, art, media propaganda, the army, the secret police called StB and censorship.

I’ve recently took my friends from London here, who like history and politics and whilst I might have mentioned my upbringing in the past to them, they were quite surprised at the reality of life in the Czechoslovakia before 1989.

Is the museum worth visiting + my personal review

The Museum of Communism generally receives positive reviews and if you are in to history, politics and interested to learn how people lived during the communism times in the Czech Republic, then the museum is definitely worth visiting.

The negative reviews mention that the museum has a one sided approach to communism – as in – it is against it! And if you, like me actually grew up in communism you’d be too! My great grandfather had to hand over his small paint business and was first allowed to work there as an employee and later made to retire. His three daughters were made to sign a gifting papers to give up their town house and were only allowed to stay when they agreed to pay a rent to the government.

I don’t think the museum needs to present a balanced view of communism, because, let’s face it, it’s private museum and the owner can do whatever he pleases. But for what it’s worth, all the events, social and cultural history is described as it happened and sadly none of it it’s made up as some people might like to think so.

No political system is without it’s problems, but I’m grateful that the museum is here to remind us that even if we don’t have a ‘ perfect state’ now, we have a freedom and many options how to shape our lives and future of the country.

The museum tickets are about 50% higher than state owned museums, but that’s because this museum doesn’t receive any funding from outside bodies or government.

The museum is probably best for adults, not only because of the theme of the museum, but also because there is a lot of reading involved, which can be overwhelming, especially for younger visitors or those expecting more interactive displays.

During peak hours, the museum can become a little crowded, especially at the beginning of the exhibition, which is in a quite small area. The space seem to widen as you go through the exhibition and there is more space to move around.

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What can you see inside the museum

On an area of almost 1,500 m² you can experience the authentic atmosphere of the communist era in the Czech Republic. The exhibition includes creatively designed installations, short videos, posters, and original exhibits. You can walk around a worker’s workshop, a school classroom, a children’s room, or an interrogation room.

Interesting objects from the depository have also been selected to illustrate everyday life under socialism, including an old telephone box, motor bikes or chocolate boxes.

The history is described on 62 panels divided into thematic sections, accompanied by a large number of original photographs from the archives of ČTK, the Security Services Archive, the Union of PTP, and the archives of leading Czech photographers. The panels are both in Czech and English language and are really nicely translated.

The final film from the Velvet Revolution days in 1989 is very moving and quite easily can leave you in tears (but that’s probably because I also love Karel Kryl – political singer and song writer, who signs the main theme tune to the film).

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Tours of the museum

The museum is designed for a self-guided visits, but if you’d prefer you can also pre-book a guided tour with a museum guide. All descriptions are in Czech and English language and the films have English subtitles, so you don’t have to worry about not understanding the various exhibitions.

Guided Tour
A guided tour costs 1,500 CZK per group plus individual admission tickets. The maximum number of people in a group is 40. The guided tour lasts approximately 1 hour. Guided tours are available only by prior reservation.

Programs for Schools
For Czech elementary and secondary schools, methodically prepared materials are available in the form of worksheets that make the museum visit more engaging for students. The admission price for pupils and students is 40 CZK, including study materials.

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The museum founder

The founder of the museum is a an American businessman and a former student of politics – Glenn Spicker. Originally from the United States, Spicker moved to Prague after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in 1989. He became known as an entrepreneur and opened several restaurants and bars in the city before his interest in history and politics led him to create the museum.

Spicker invested $28,000 of his own money to purchase over a thousand artifacts related to the communist era in Czechoslovakia, including propaganda posters, uniforms, documents, and everyday items from the period. He wanted to present the museum as a space where you learn more about living under communism and its impact on everyday life, politics, education, art, and more.

The museum opened in 2001 and was originally based at Wenceslas Square, but few years back moved to much large premises in the former custom’s house at the Namesti Republiky.

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Practical Information for visiting the Communism Museum in Prague

Location

V Celnici 1031/4, New Town, Prague 1

The museum is near the town centre, practically on Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square) in the former custom’s house.

Opening Times

Open daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM with last admission 30 minutes before closing.

How long to allocate for your visit

I’ve visited several of times over the last few years and I can always find something I’ve missed, so I’d suggest that the minimum you need is about 1 hour. This allows enough time to read the information panels, watch the short films, and explore all the exhibits at a comfortable pace. There is also a little cafe and a souvenir shop to browse through afterwards.

If you are particularly interested in history or want to read every display in detail, I think that can easily take up to 2 hours. If you are taking one of the special guided tours these are approximately 1 hour.

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Postal Museum (in a baroque house with beautiful paintings) >>

How to get to museum from the centre of Prague

The easiest way to get to the museum from Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) in the center of Prague is to walk. It’s about a 7–10 minute walk from Old Town Square via Celetna Street and under the Powder Tower. Once you reach Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square) carry on walking straight and you will see the large building of the former custom’s house.

It’s more complicated to take the underground, than to walk, but you can go from Staroměstská metro station (Line A, green line) one stop to Můstek, then change to Line B (yellow line) and go one stop to Náměstí Republiky. The museum is a short walk from there.

Also if you’ve just walked down from the Prague Castle and you happen to be at Malostranska Underground Station, you can take tram number 15 and ride about 10 minutes and get off the Namesti Republiky.

Ticket Prices

Adults: 380 CZK
Students, seniors, disabled visitors: 290 CZK
Children (under 10 years): Free
Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): 800 CZK

Special rates are available for school groups, with admission for students at 40 CZK, including study materials. Guided tours cost an additional 1,500 CZK per group, plus individual admission tickets.

Facilities at the museum

There is a small gift shop at the entrance of the museum and much large one at the end of the exhibition on the top floor.

The museum gift shop has history books, souvenirs, and memorabilia related to the history of communism and the Czech Republic, including some pretty cool postcards, bags and posters.

There is a small cafe on the mezzanine level, that sells hot and cold drinks and snacks.

There are toilets available on the ground floor and there cloakroom area where you can leave coats and small bags during your visit.

Accessibility:
The museum is located on the first floor and is accessible by elevator and stairs. The gift shop and small cafe is in the mezzanine level.

This blog post was originally written on 4 June 2025 and last updated on 4 June 2025