The Czech Museum of Silver is housed in the Gothic building of the historic Hrádek (Little Castle) on Barborská 28. The museum was opened in 1996. Its exhibits are divided between two routes. One shows the history of Kutná hora and the other focuses on silver mining, ore processing, and the life of the miners. If you want to cover both routes and visit the mine, expect to spend 2.5 hours there.
Route I: The Town of Silver
Route I leads visitors through the history of Kutná Hora from its early beginnings to its “silver rush” heyday when it was an important royal mining town. Expositions include information on the history of the Little Castle and life of Kutná Hora’s nobility in medieval times, and detailed information about the silver coins minted in Kutná Hora.
Tour lenght: 1 hour, last entry 60 min. before closing
Route II: The Journey of Silver
The tour follows the silver mining process from the mine to raw silver processing and coin minting. It includes a replica of a medieval mine with its technical equipment and the original horse-powered mining machine. Visitors clad in a kirtle and helmet and carrying a lamp walk through a 250 m long original medieval mine. A replica of a Miner’s Village was built in the garden where visitors can see miners’ dwellings, ore washing gutters, a furnace and other mining equipment, complete with figurines of miners at work.
Tour lenth: 1.5 hours, last entry 90 min. before closing; children admitted to mine from age 7
Visit the museum website for information on opening hours and admissions.