Městské muzeum a galerie ve Svitavách
Máchova alej 1
49°45'15"N 16°28'21"E (xx km)
You will go through the labyrinth of Svitavy stories when visiting the Municipal Museum. Its permanent exhibitions cover a diverse range of topics, out of which really everyone will choose.
Thanks to the exhibition Searching for the Star of David, you can get a glimpse into the fate of a significant, though controversial, native of Svitavy - Oskar Schindler. The story of the rescue of 1200 Jews during the Second World War, which became the subject of Spielberg's Oscar-winning film Schindler's list, will unfold to you.
A completely different field can be seen in the exhibition Grandma's Big Laundry which guides through the history of washing and laundry technology. You will get acquainted with a variety of interesting objects and devices from simple wooden hand washing machines to the first specimens of automatic washing machines. The smallest visitors will try what washing in the days of our grandmothers involved thanks to the interactive part called Laundry At the Little Doggie and Little Cattie.
You can also admire the show of skill and ingenuity of local wood-carvers in the form of a unique mechanical carved nativity scene. The ensemble of diverse figures and landscapes promises, thanks to the ongoing restoration works, a work of unique scope. You can see the restored part of the nativity scene these days already.
| Category | gallery, mansion / villa / palace, museum |
|---|---|
| Certificates and memberships | Cultural monument |
| Style | contemporary architecture (30%), Historicised (70%) |
| Services | barrier-free WC, demonstration of crafts, dogs welcome, guide services in the area, interactive education programme offer, library / reading room, Occasional concerts, reservation of accommodation in region, sale of cycling and tourist maps of region, sale of novelties and souvenirs, sale of specialised literature, sale of tourist cards, sale of tourist stamps, space available for rent, WC |
| Staff languages | Czech, Esperanto, German |
| First year open to the public | 1947 |
| Date of construction | 1892 |
| Year of latest reconstruction | 2000 |
Tours / exhibitions
| Description | The history of laundry - the foundation of the exhibition is 50 washing machines, which are a part of a comprehensive museum collection (193 pieces) and are arranged according to development - from wooden through self-help production (wood or metal) to the first mass-produced washing machines for households. All of this is accompanied by photocopies of old advertisements, posters and documentary photographs. Searching for the Star of David - Oskar Schindler - The Righteous Among the Nations - the history of Jewish settlement in the Bohemia-Moravia borderland, relics of Jewish monuments, the story of Oskar Schindler, the rescuer of 1200 human lives during World War II. A number of texts, photographs and three-dimensional objects and a documentary film. A labyrinth of Svitavy stories - the history of Svitavy in the stories of its inhabitants, texts, photographs, paintings, sculptures, the worl of carver Alois Petrus. The exhibition also includes a part of the great Nativity Scene made by Svitavy carvers, which awaits restoration. Svitavy villas - an exhibition panel, which is devoted to the architectural gems of family housing. |
|---|---|
| Open to public | Wheelchair Access : Yes Photography allowed: Yes Video cameras allowed: Yes |
| Opening hours (GMT +1) |
Before visiting the building we recommend checking the current opening hours on the building's website or by contacting the operator by telephone.  Closed right now, as per business hoursLast tour before closing: 40 min. Sightseeing time: 40 min. |
| Foreign languages | tour guide (Czech, English, German), printed guide (Czech, German), descriptions (Czech) |
| Exhibition specialization | ethnography, households – equipment /, residential culture, Jewish people – history / the Holocaust, regional history |
| Minimum / maximum number of people per guide | 10/50 |