Discover Uncharted Destinations
On the weekend of May 17th and 18th, 2025, a special festival will provide free access to 118 buildings that are usually closed during regular hours. This event, known as Open House Brno, allows everyone to explore these places completely free. While some locations can be accessed without any cost, others may require a reserved ticket due to capacity or safety reasons. This year’s theme is “Future Heritage“, and many popular sites from previous festivals will also be included. Open House Worldwide is recognized as the largest architectural event of its kind globally, organized solely by dedicated volunteers. Together with Brno, 50 cities reach over two million people with their programs every year.
A diverse range of activities is planned as part of the weekend’s accompanying program. Expect exciting events like teralón in the chapel of St. Anne’s University Hospital, tours led by students of various schools, guided memorial walks in Ponávka, and engaging workshops where even the youngest participants can become architects at New Zbrojovka. For those needing assistance, an information center with maps and festival merchandise will be available on Saturday and Sunday at the House of the Lords of Linden on Liberty Square from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Purchasing selected items supports the festival and grants you a ticket for public transport in Brno.
What places can you visit?
The highlight of the Open House Brno festival is the tours of 118 buildings throughout the city. Most of these locations can be visited without any reservation; just arrive early at the meeting point. You can find the last available reserved tickets on the website GoOut.
Fans of architecture can explore sites typically closed to the public, such as the Institute of Forensic Medicine at St. Anne’s University Hospital, Masaryk University Faculty of Medicine, Reissig Villa, Central Library of the Faculty of Education, MU, Constitutional Court located in the Provincial State House, Clubco coworking in Vlněně, Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Bohuslav Fuchs Ceremonial Hall at the Central Cemetery, AZ Tower, Brno Observatory and Planetarium, Janáček office on Roosevelt Street, Starobrno Brewery, Villa Wittal, Grand Palace Brno, Hotel Courtyard by Marriott Brno****, Hotel Continental**** Brno, Reissigova Villa, Moravian Library, Kubicek Factory, PKV offices, and the Czech Radio Brno building on Pekařská Street.
Where can you go without a reservation?
An extraordinary experience awaits at the Anatomical Museum of Professor Karel Žlábek (Masaryk University, Kamenice 3), the area of the former municipal slaughterhouse (Masná 7), where guided tours will be held. You can also explore Arnold’s Villa (Drobného 26), which offers self-guided tours. Don’t miss the House of Chairs (Žarošická 18) or the Brno Trade Fairs Administration Building (Výstaviště 1). Climbing the stairs to the terrace on the 12th floor of this building provides a breathtaking view beyond just the Exhibition Grounds. Additionally, the Bauer Mansion, the tower of Hall G, and the Living Laboratory will be open to explore at the Exhibition Grounds.
Visitors will also have a chance to peek inside the former Brno Starch Works, now transformed into a business park called Offer (Dornych 486/47). Individual guided tours with audio guide will take place here on May 17 and 18. On Saturday, there will be a special guided tour of Domeq Apartments, and on Sunday, you can join a guided tour led by memoirist Jaroslava Pribylova (90 years old), who worked in the original factory. The TITANIUM Business Complex (Nové sady 996/25) is also open to the public throughout the weekend. Experience luxury at some of the best Brno hotels that welcome visitors, including Hotel Avion (Česká 150/20) and Hotel Passage (Lidická 23). Visiting the real estate agency VITOM (Táborská 48) can also provide a unique insight.
The weekend will also feature open houses at places showcasing the muses, such as Czech Radio Brno (Beethovenova 4) and the Faculty of Music at JAMU (Komenského náměstí 6). You can also visit the Kristek House (Tišnovská 77). Many notable villas will be accessible, including the aforementioned Arnold Villa, Kubo’s Villa (Gromešova 1), Reissig’s Villa (Hlinky 148), Tesar’s Villa (Hroznová 18), and the garden of Villa Tugendhat during the evening (Černopolní 45). On Saturday, May 17, you can visit the garden at 6:00 and 7:30 PM, illuminated by flashlights and the setting sun. Gather in front of the entrance to Villa Tugendhat.
