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Speculum Alchemiae Museum

Speculum Alchemiae Museum

Speculum Alchemiae Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Our museum called Speculum Alchemiae, is situated in one of the oldest houses in Prague. There are secret alchemical laboratories from the 16th century in the museum underground that were built for the king Rudolf II. The alchemists of that time used to prepare elixirs in there. The museum building also includes a shop, where equal elixirs can be bought. These elixirs are prepared under strict conditions according to their original recipes which have been found here. Newly, we also offer a unique tour of magical places in Prague which are connected with the Speculum Alchemiae museum. The guided tour includes the Prague Castle, Vysehrad, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and the museum. At these places you learn about many amazing legends and mythological stories associated with the so-called Prague Magical Triangle.
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Stare Mesto (Old Town)
One of the oldest neighborhoods in town represents the medieval heart of Prague. It’s no surprise it is bustling with tourists every time of day. Križovnický square, overlooking Charles Bridge with Prague Castle in the background, is probably the most beautiful square in the city. Its unique historical atmosphere of gothic houses and churches, cobblestone streets and squares, and stone towers blend together with the modern era. A vast array of bars, restaurants, dance clubs, international brand shops, galleries and hotels bring life to the old city. With its charming and picturesque cobblestone streets, the nightlife and parties will surely be unforgettable.
How to get there
  • Old Town • 7 min walk
  • Republic square • 10 min walk
Reach out directly

See what travelers are saying

  • Simon Bubach
    Trollhattan, Sweden6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unique place
    Been here several times, most recently with my brother January 2023. It's quite small but cheap and with a guided tour. Depending on which guide you get, there will be slightly different things covered as there is more history connected to this place than can be covered in just one visit.
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written February 25, 2024
  • The Czech Advisor
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Speculum Alchemiae Museum (Muzeum Speculum Alchemiae) The Czech Advisor
    en, It was amazing. We recommend. Just be careful so you dont fall there a lot of rocks on the ground. cz, Bylo to hezké. Doporučujeme. Jenom buďte opatrný ať nespadnete je tam hodně kamenů na zemi.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 8, 2024
  • Gary M
    Leeds, United Kingdom539 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A really interesting tour!
    A fascinating tour about alchemy, I would recommend it to anyone who visits Prague. The tours are led by a knowledgeable guide and last about 30 mins. Feedback regarding the positions! Make some tiny ones, maybe less than 100ml so we can take them home in our carry on!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 14, 2024
  • Elisa A
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A hidden hide!
    Fantastic little museum that is a thousand times better than the big tourist attractions otherwise in Prague. The service is really good there, they are very friendly compared to other places in Prague where we have experienced unusually bad service! It was really cheap compared to what you get out of the trip. The guided tour was really exciting. You first enter a main room where you get a little story about what they were doing at the time, and then comes the main event. The secret tunnel down to their hidden lab and workplace. It was really fascinating to see and hear about. You get a really good insight into what it was like to be a scientist back in the 6th century and how they had to hide their research from the church while they worked for the king. The guided tour lasts about 30 minutes, (plus questions) All in all a fantastic experience, definitely something you should experience when you are in Prague.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 19, 2024
  • ryu
    Osaka, Japan90 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Alchemical museums
    Tours in English were hourly. I went to the store on the day and got a Reservation immediately. The inside of the building is not large, but I was surprised by the various devices. It was interesting to see the idea of alchemy at the time. If you are interested, I don't think you will lose out.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written August 17, 2024
  • MartinUOlesen
    Fredericia, Denmark80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Exciting visit to the history of alchemy
    A really exciting visit to a truly re-found alchemistry workshop. One comes on a half-hour guided tour of the workshops as they looked in the Middle Ages. The guide was good at telling details and putting it into a historical context.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 21, 2024
  • Maris
    2,133 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very nice!
    Very nice visit to this old museum and a look underground. Guided tour in English , adult 200czk and children/students 150czk. Whether it is all original I don't know but it looks very nice and the guide was very passionate about telling. All in all it takes half an hour
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written November 2, 2024
  • Jkl
    United States95 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Genuine historic site
    Excellent authentic historical site, not a tourist trap. Very interesting to see and learn about the history here. Bring cash, Czech or Euro. There is a bank nearby with ATMs. The potions are very charming souvenirs, mixed by monks according to ancient recipes, in Czech glass bottles, some hand painted.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written November 2, 2024
  • RosieTX
    Plano, Texas12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just go!
    Very interesting and something you will not find mentioned in the usual tour books. We heard about it but not until the final few hours in Prague did we end up going. So glad we did not miss it. A very good hour spent. Just not the time of the next English tour if that's what you need.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written December 1, 2024
  • LittleRedLaura
    Caernarfon, United Kingdom202 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Small but fascinating museum
    Fascinating little museum, only accessible with a booked tour. Consisting of a couple of furnished rooms, then a genuinely old underground series of old rooms & passages, it's compact and quite short (30 mins) but very atmospheric. The member of staff taking our tour was very good and informative and the enterance room/shop you start & finish in is beautifully decorated.
    Visited October 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written December 25, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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CarbonChauvinist
182 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
As with many other museums in Prague, this was a great tour but it seemed over before it actually started. Especially for such an interesting and unique topic it leaves you wanting more. So it seems quite expensive in the end.
That being said it's absolutely great look at alchemists life moment in history, the guide was fantastic, very approachable, informative and humorous. Hats off to the lady.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear CarbonChauvinist, thank you for your review. We are very glad that you liked the tour in our museum, and your appreciation of our tourguide is especially nice of you, so thank you for this as well. You are right, the topic of alchemy is very interesting, broad and complex, so it may seem that 30 minutes is not nearly enough. The tours here are meant to be mainly an introduction to said topic, so that people can do their own reserach later and focus on the part of alchemy they prefer. Anyway, thank you again. We wish you a great day. team of Speculum Alchemiae
Written February 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tashcat
Prague, Czech Republic13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020 • Family
Although this is only a 30 minute tour - ideal for teens who can’t cope with boring museums! - it is packed with interesting information from an obviously knowledgeable guide who wasn’t phased by any questions. It would be perfect for Harry Potter fans but has also inspired me to learn more about Rudolf II. It was my second visit as I loved it so much the first time! Thank you Daniela.
Written June 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JRMADA
United States3,463 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Don’t miss this when visiting Prague. This is a very unique place with some interesting history. Unlike someone said here, no one tried to get us to buy anything. The tour was very informative and the guide took her time to explain series of events and answer any questions. This place is well preserved and some amazing pictures can be taken. It is not about wizards and magic (not Harry Potter like), but about science and chemistry. The entry fee is reasonable, but they only take cash payments, so bring cash with you. At this time, they take Euros and the exchange favors you, but if you read this sometime in the future, please contact them for accepted currency. Not suitable for kids under 10, or people with limited mobility. We loved it and hope you do too.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris.al
6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
The tour was excellent and if you want to learn about the history of alchemy in Prague in a genuine setting it is definitely the place to go. However, taking into account you can get a three hours tour in town (tip based) for more or less the same, one should be aware it is only a tour of half an hour. I would've loved to hear a little more about the art of alchemy, what people believed etc. Maybe including that a tour could take a little longer.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marcela P
33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Couples
This place was very cool!
They have even one original elixir in exhibition.
And they sell newly brewed ones.
The guide was great, she knew a lot of facts outside from the planned story during the tours.
I absolutely recommend it.

But call/email beforehand, because they only have guided tours and in several languages, so you need to know when one in your language will happen.
Written October 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

joanne
Poulton Le Fylde, UK49 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Couples
My husband was keen to go on this visit and tour and it was one of the best things we did during our three day stay in Prague. The tour guide was superb and so knowledgeable but it was so interesting to hear the history of the building and to discover the secret tunnels and various underground rooms. Brilliant!
Written March 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Victoria S
Kokkola, Finland24 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Friends
Very atmospheric and definitely worth a visit, just remember to check ahead at what times the guided tours start as you're not allowed to enter on your own. What we thought was missing in the presentation given by our guide was information about the actual practices of alchemists and the uses of different tools displayed. Our guide also spoke very fast which sometimes made it difficult to keep up, but we appreciated that there was time for questions after each segment. All in all, the tour is more for entertainment than educational purposes. An addition I would like to suggest for the gift shop is more literature about the subject for those wishing to really dive into it.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Arnie
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
The Speculum Alchemiae Museum is a perfect mix of thorough scholarship and campy displays! A must-see for history buffs and creatures of the night. The tour guide was especially knowledgeable and funny. You could spend an hour reading all the signage or just skip to the 20-minute guided tour of their hilarious tableaux.
Written April 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Toblje
Zurich, Switzerland8,418 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
This museum can only be visited as part of a guided tour. During opening hours, tours start approximately every 30 minutes. On the short tour through the underground laboratories, you can learn some interesting facts about alchemy, which flourished in Prague, especially under Emperor Rudolf II (1552 - 1612). Unfortunately, there is not much to see other than a few old ovens and empty bottles. After the tour, you can buy overpriced, alcoholic "healing potions" as souvenirs in the entrance area. It's a shame, because with a little imagination, there is still a lot of tourist potential to be gained, especially when it comes to topics related to magic and occultism. For EUR 10 per person, we were offered too little here compared to other attractions in Prague. We would therefore not visit the museum a second time.

Important: No credit/debit cards are accepted. Tickets can only be purchased with cash.
Google
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeremy Y
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Fun, interesting tour through previous alchemist labs and tunnels. Some of the items in the labs are recreations, but it still felt very authentic. High recommend. Note: the museum only accepts cash so ensure you have Korunas or Euros available
Written January 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Speculum Alchemiae Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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