About AJG

Aleš South Bohemian Gallery is the only art museum in the South Bohemian Region, and one of the five largest institutions of its kind in the Czech Republic. It started its activity on the 1st January 1953 and got the name of the south bohemian painter Mikoláš Aleš (1852-1913).

Its main residence is a former neo-gothic castle riding school in Hluboká nad Vltavou (built 1845-1847 by the Viennese architect Franz Beer, and subsequently adapted by a Budweiser architect Jaroslav Fidra in 1953-1955). The castle riding school AJG holds the main exposition projects of the season. In 1967 a branch was established - AJG ceramics department, which is located in a refurbished building of the former castle brewery in Bechyně. A renovated Wortner House was opened in České Budějovice for exhibition purposes in 1993. It is a Gothic building restored in a Renaissance style.

Alšova South Bohemian Gallery offers a wide selection of expositions from their own collections and also projects created in a cooperation with external curators, galleries and private entities. Apart from this there is a rich accompanying programme of guided tours, lecture series, concerts. A newly established educational center organizes creative educational programmes for kids and youths, art studios and teachers.

Castle riding school in Hluboká nad Vltavou

The castle riding school AJG holds one of the most complete collections of medieval art in the Czech Republic as a permanent exposition. It contains more than 150 pieces of panel painting and sculptures, created between the years 1275 and 1530. The collection is an evidence of high level of czech medieval art from South and South-west Bohemia (outstanding pieces of work of early and high Luxembourg Gothic, work of the Master of the Vyšebrod Cycle, or the Master of the Trebon altarpiece, the Beautiful style, late Gothic sculptures of Master of Mourning of Žebrák, Danube school, etc.)

Wortner House

Wortner House AJG is located in the picturesque historic centrum of České Budějovice. It was opened in the january of 1993, and it's used for small and medium-sized expositions. The exhibition halls are placed in the renaissance building from the middle of 16th century, with a gothic core, characteristic battlements, corner towers on the attic and a small yard at the rear.

Museum of ceramics

The International museum of ceramics, branch of Aleš South Bohemian Gallery in Hluboká nad Vltavou, was created in connection with the International Symposium on Ceramics. Thanks to the activity of the second director of AJG, Břetislav Lauda, city government of Bechyně, ceramic school and Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, the idea of foundation of the museum appeared in the middle of 1950's. Ten years later, a few farm building were adapted for this purpose. The castle brewery is used this way till today. The reconstruction was carried out by SÚPROMO Prague in the brutalist trend with the use of exposed concrete, building additions and quality materials: slate, clay ceramic tiles and solid wood.

The museum was founded as a collection of unique results of the International Symposium on Ceramics, first organized in 1966 by Lubomír Těhník and Václav Šerák. Nowadays, it's the longest continually functioning symposium on the European continent.

Opening hours

Zámecká jízdárna, čp. 144, Hluboká nad Vltavou

U Černé věže 22, České Budějovice

Zámek, čp. 135, Bechyně

Exhibitions Hluboká Nad Vltavou

Exhibitions Wortner house

Exhibitions International Ceramics Museum Bechyně