Betlém, Open-air museum in Hlinsko, Czech Republic

Betlém is a village heritage reserve of folk architecture on the right bank of the Chrudimka in Hlinsko. Its mostly timbered houses with gabled roofs have a front living room, a hall with a black kitchen and a chamber; some include a pigsty or small barn. Visitors can tour the dwellings and workshops of a weaver, toy maker, shoemaker, file maker and factory worker.

The site preserves working conditions and craft practices from the 19th and early 20th centuries. These buildings reflect how this region depended on skilled artisans for its economy and daily life.

The name Betlém refers to the dense cluster of small wooden houses, likened to a nativity scene. The site keeps the memory of the Hlinecko Shrovetide processions, whose masks are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and part of the exhibition is devoted to them.

The museum is best explored with a guide who explains each craft and how the workshops function. Plan enough time to walk through multiple buildings and watch the craftspeople at work in detail.

Part of the exhibition covers the traditional Shrovetide processions with masks from the Hlinecko region, which are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The masks and the carnival rounds they belong to are shown alongside the furnished craft dwellings.