The municipal museum in Dvůr Králové nad Labem was founded in 1891. The first exposition concerning the history of the town and region was open as late as in 1923 in building of the Old Town Hall. After the war the museum received beautiful space in Neumann villa. After some time gallery became a part of the museum and in 1965 also a museum of textile. In 1969 the villa beame a property of Východočeská ZOO and a museum was closed for a temporary period of time. By this time it was decided that a place called Kohout’s Court will by made over into a museum.
Kohout’s Court is a baroque bulding which was build for Sporck’s foundation manor from Choustníkovo Hradiště. Dominating feature is the gate with St. Florian relief and a period picture of the court with the year of 1738 on it. The relief was supposedly brought here from Kuks by the first administrator of the Kohout’s Court F. A. Berger. Spectacular portal is decorated with baroque sculptures (from the left St. John Baptist, Mary the Virgin, St. John of Nepomuk). As the court belonged to Alois Kohout after the year of 1849 it began to be called Kohout’s Court.
Only three buildings have remained from the original estate. The main building has been used as a museum since 1978. Here the permanent exposition has been placed which documents a history of the town from its foundation up to the year 1945. What is very popular is a model of the town showing what is looked like in the 17th century. Also silver municipal seal-sticks are worth mentioning, together with stylish facilities and furniture found in villa cottages in the region under the Giant Mountains and room dedicated to Manuscript of Dvůr Králové or exhibits from the Prussian-Austrian war. In the years 2012 – 2013 has undergone a complete renovation, the implementation of which managed to get a grant from the Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast in the amount 92.5%. There are permanent exhibitions, the depositary, the museum’s library and offices.
In 1998 another building was opened – former grange. A part of the building is used as a gallery. Baroque Calvary made by native sculptor of Dvůr Králové – J. V. Bergl and brass statues are exhibited in this area. In the grange there is magnificent space for exhibitions and a hall where concerts, exhibitions and lectures are held.
In 2018 we opened a new permanent exhibitin,. The theme od this exhibition is textile printing. The exhibition is located in the building of the former textile high school. Visitor there can see large printing machines and small wooden mold for blueprinting.