It all began in 2000, when we purchased a dilapidated fortress. During its reconstruction, a stone structure protruding from the outer wall was discovered. It turned out to be a medieval toilet called a garderobe or “privy” (from the Latin “locus privatus”). On the same wall, there was a Baroque extension containing a dry toilet with a cesspit.
These two architectural elements related to basic human needs intrigued us so much that we decided to collect objects created for this purpose throughout different historical periods and to document their history and evolution.
After ten years of collecting and the first exhibition held at the Waterworks Museum in Prague (2009), we established a physical museum at the fortress in Třebotov. Over the following years, the museum moved to Prague and changed locations several times. Since 2021, it has been housed as a museum depository at V Potočkách 1020/6, Prague 12 – Modřany.
After twenty years of collecting and research, we released an original encyclopedic book. Two years later, an expanded edition was published not only in Czech but also in English.
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In 2021, the collection received a “Certificate of Czech Record – Largest Collection of Chamber Pots and Toilets” from Agentura Dobrý den in Pelhřimov (Czech branch of the International Records Agency). In 2022, it was awarded the title “Record Holder of the Year in the Collector and Collection Category.” That same year, the first edition of the book “Toilets, Chamber Pots and Other Contexts” received 3rd place in the “Fine Arts Encyclopedia” category of the “Dictionary of the Year” competition organized by the Czech Association of Interpreters and Translators. In 2025, our collection won the “Remarkable Collection” award from the the Curiosity Collector’s Club (Czech Republic).
We are planning to suspend operation of the current museum exhibition depository in the existing building in Prague – Modřany, at V Potočkách 1020/6. The main reason is the long-planned renovation of the building and the overall transformation of the original industrial and operational complex into a new local community center in this part of Modřany.
Another reason is the demanding nature of running the museum, which has been funded entirely from private resources for the past 25 years. Therefore, alongside the building’s reconstruction and operational pause, we are seeking the opportunity to transfer the complete collection to another entity that could continue the exhibition and educational activities under agreed conditions.
As a partial substitute for the current physical depository, a newly available virtual tour of the museum collection is now accessible, including the e-shop. It is still possible to request exhibit loans, lectures, and educational activities for those interested in this often-overlooked part of human hygiene with significant environmental relevance.
The exact date of the suspension will be published on the website and in other publications.
A chamber pot is an object that can be used in many ways. Setting aside its primary function and the humorous uses featured in the museum’s exhibition, it can be repurposed, for example, as a flower pot cover, a wine bottle cooler, or a candy bowl.
This versatility inspired the idea to use chamber pots as a base for creating art objects, artistically enhanced by well-known public figures, and then to organize their sale through charity auctions.
The first auction took place in 2015 for the Mathilda Foundation, which supports the blind and visually impaired. In 2017, the second auction supported the Foundation for Premature Babies and Their Families. In 2025, the third auction again supported the Mathilda Foundation.
Each event featured a collection of 30 artistic pieces, which were then auctioned. The total proceeds reached CZK 315,000 in the first, CZK 365,500 in the second, and CZK 402,000 in the third auction.
