Open House Praha is an annual festival that opens up dozens of usually inaccessible buildings and spaces throughout the capital city of the Czech Republic. This year’s festival promises to offer extraordinary experiences from May 15th to May 21st. The program includes lectures, discussions, and guided tours.
The festival’s ninth edition will occur from May 15th to May 21st. Over a hundred buildings throughout Prague will open their doors during the weekend of May 20th and 21st, but a rich accompanying program will begin on Monday, May 15th.
The weekend program will include special tours for children aged five and up in selected buildings. Thanks to a working sheet for young architects, they will be able to familiarize themselves with basic architectural concepts and themes in a fun way. Special tours will also be available for hearing or visually-impaired visitors or foreigners living in Prague for a long time.
The festival’s center will be the New Stage of the National Theater. This year’s program commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of architect Karel Prager. For the first time, the festival will open the unique brutalist building of the New Stage of the National Theater, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
Visitors will be able to explore the auditorium with a stage and backstage area, as well as the projection booth and makeup room. In addition, an interactive theater technology workshop for children will take place in the New Stage building during the festival week. The festival’s information center will be there from May 15th.
Individuals can access some buildings freely and tour them at their own pace without prior registration. However, most tours will be organized in groups of different sizes with a guide. No prior registration is required to enter a building so some places may have queues.
The route is not predetermined. Each visitor can choose which of the 109 offered landmarks and when. The program includes both historical palaces and modern office buildings, as well as technical landmarks, such as the Bořislavka Center, Branický Brewery, Komerční Banka Building in Smíchov, Na Zábradlí Theater, House of Fashion on Wenceslas Square, or the Evangelical Cemetery in Strašnice. A complete list can be found on the festival’s website.
Open House Praha is an excellent opportunity for people to visit and explore remarkable buildings and spaces that are usually inaccessible to the public. The festival’s program includes various events suitable for people of all ages and interests, making it a must-see event for locals and tourists alike.