Jewish Museum & Old Jewish Cemetery

Four historic synagogues plus the Old Jewish Cemetery — its 12,000 tilting headstones layered over centuries — telling a thousand years of Czech Jewish life. One ticket (600 CZK, valid 3 days) covers the route. The Pinkas Synagogue, walls inscribed with 80,000 Holocaust victims' names, is the most powerful room in Prague. Closed Saturdays.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

How did this collection survive the Nazi occupation?

Grimly: the Nazis centralized confiscated Judaica from liquidated Czech communities in Prague, which preserved the objects while destroying the communities they came from. The museum today is both a collection and a memorial to that fact — it frames everything you see.

Why are the gravestones in the Old Jewish Cemetery so crowded?

For over 300 years (until 1787) this small plot was the only place Prague's Jews could bury their dead, so graves were layered up to twelve deep, with older stones lifted to the new surface. The result — 12,000 tilting stones over maybe 100,000 burials — is unlike anywhere else on earth.

Is the Old-New Synagogue worth the separate ticket?

Yes, if medieval history moves you — it's Europe's oldest active synagogue, in continuous use since around 1270, and the legendary resting place of the Golem in its attic. It's a small, austere space; you're paying for the weight of 750 years, not for exhibits.

Are there dress or photography rules?

Men are asked to cover their heads in the synagogues (paper kippot are provided), and modest dress is appreciated. Photography rules vary by building and are posted — the cemetery generally allows it, some interiors don't. It's a memorial space as much as a museum; behave accordingly.

What is the Pinkas Synagogue memorial?

The interior walls are hand-inscribed with the names of nearly 80,000 Czech and Moravian Jews murdered in the Holocaust — a memorial that took years to letter and had to be redone after communist-era neglect. Upstairs are drawings made by children imprisoned in Terezín. Give it time and silence.

When is the Jewish Museum closed?

Every Saturday (Shabbat) and on Jewish holidays — plan around this or you'll find locked doors. Otherwise it's open daily, roughly 9:00-18:00 in summer and 9:00-16:30 in winter. Check jewishmuseum.cz for holiday dates before you go.

What does the Jewish Museum ticket include?

The main ticket (600 CZK adult, 400 CZK students, 200 CZK children 6-15) covers the Maisel, Pinkas, and Spanish Synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery, and the ceremonial hall — and it's valid for three days, so you can split the route. The Old-New Synagogue is separate because it's still an active congregation's synagogue.

Can I visit the cemetery without the full museum ticket?

No — the Old Jewish Cemetery is only accessible with the museum route ticket, entered via the Pinkas Synagogue. There's no cemetery-only ticket. If budget is tight, know that the route's emotional core — Pinkas plus the cemetery — is front-loaded at the start.

Nearby in Ask Prague

• Josefov (Jewish Quarter)Neighborhood0.04 km · 1 min walk
• Museum of Decorative Arts (Uměleckoprůmyslové museum)Museum0.13 km · 2 min walk
• Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)Landmark0.38 km · 5 min walk
• Astronomical Clock (Orloj)Attraction0.4 km · 5 min walk
• Lokál DlouháRestaurant0.53 km · 7 min walk