If you're hiking around the Jizera Mountains or the Ještěd ridge, it's well worth stepping into Liberec's city centre for a visit to the oldest museum of applied arts in the Czech Republic. The building alone is a sight — a neo-Renaissance tower, sacral and palace-style architecture blended together, and since 2022 you can once again climb the tower for a view over the city.

Inside, the atmosphere shifts from old-world collector's passion to modern presentation — natural history of the Liberec region, regional prehistory, and rich decorative arts collections spanning glass, porcelain, tapestries, lace and mechanical music machines. It's a great rainy-day stop or a rewarding treat after a day on the trail, surrounded by thousands of objects gathered since 1873.

How to get there

• Liberec city centre, Masarykova třída — short walk from the train or bus station, easy route
• Reachable by car or city bus, parking available near the centre

Practical information

• The museum was closed from February 2018 for reconstruction, reopening fully on 4 May 2021
• The tower has been open to climb again since 23 August 2022
• Collections include over 700,000 items, including the second-largest collection of oriental carpets in the Czech Republic
• A bronze bust of T. G. Masaryk was unveiled in the small park in front of the museum on 7 March 2010

Fun fact: the museum holds the oldest displayed tapestry in the whole Czech Republic — look for it among the halls of glass and porcelain.