Visitors to Prague Castle will once again have the chance to see the Czech Crown Jewels, displayed in Vladislav Hall from September 18 to 29.

This year’s exhibition, titled Treasure in Darkness, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and reveals the little-known wartime fate of the nation’s most treasured symbols.

Alongside the jewels, visitors will see unique archival materials connected to this turbulent period.

The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, September 18, at 9 a.m. Admission is free, with daily opening hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are exhibiting the jewels, by decision of the President, every year. They are a symbol of Czech statehood, and everyone should have the opportunity to see them, without queues. We renew the concept of the exhibition so that we always offer a fresh perspective and lesser-known contexts. This year, we were inspired by the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, whose impact naturally did not spare even the most closely guarded treasures,” said Veronika Wolf, Cultural and Program Director of Prague Castle.

A hidden wartime story

The exhibition traces how the jewels were safeguarded during the Nazi occupation. Highlights include archival documents and photographs showing their secret transport to Slovakia in 1938, their hurried return to Prague, and drawings of the chamber where they were bricked up during air raid threats.

Visitors will also see the oak chest used to transport the Crown Jewels, the signature stamps of President Emil Hácha, and one of the era’s most crucial documents—the original protocol from Hácha’s fateful meeting with Adolf Hitler in Berlin on the eve of the Protectorate’s proclamation.

Photographs from the time when part of the keys to the Crown Chamber were held by Acting Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich will also be on display, as well as sketches of the hiding place where the jewels were concealed during bomb threats.

Accessibility and lectures

For the first time, visually impaired students will be able to join guided tours featuring tactile aids and texts in Braille and large print. A series of lectures will also accompany the exhibition. Historian Jan Royt will discuss the artistic and cultural value of the jewels, while archivists Lucie Večerníková and Jan Kutílek will share their wartime history. Lectures are free, but require advance booking on the Prague Castle website.

Visitor information

Access to the exhibition will be via Hradčany Square, through the Southern Gardens and the Bull Staircase to the Old Royal Palace.

Due to preparation and dismantling, the Old Royal Palace will be closed to regular visitors until September 30.

Last year, nearly 47,000 people visited the Crown Jewels exhibition.

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