Tucked inside a former Augustinian monastery right in the heart of Česká Lípa, this museum is a fascinating stop for anyone curious about the region's past. The building itself, dating back to 1707, is a protected cultural monument — and stepping through its cloisters feels like stepping into another century.

The atmosphere here shifts with the seasons: in summer, the monastery garden hosts open-air exhibitions and events, while in winter the cloistered courtyard transforms with Christmas markets and festive lights. Walking the stone arcades past old statues, you get a real sense of quiet history layered beneath the everyday bustle of the town outside.

How to get there

• Česká Lípa town centre — the museum sits at nám. Osvobození 297, an easy walk from the train station, flat and accessible
• By car — park in the town centre and walk a few minutes to the entrance

Practical information

• Permanent exhibitions: natural history, regional history, mineralogy, blacksmithing, and even a world of insects
• See the relocated cottage room of actor Vladimír Menšík
• Branches in Doksy (Karel Hynek Mácha Memorial), Kravaře (Vísecká rychta), and the Šatlava branch in Česká Lípa
• The museum cares for over half a million items in its collections

A little-known fact: the monastery church and part of the garden are no longer part of the museum grounds, yet the cloisters and courtyard still echo with the memory of Augustinian monks and the town's first passionate 19th-century collectors.