Thirty years after its opening, we commemorate the Dancing House as a symbol of freedom and the courage to do things differently. As the current owner of the building, we have prepared a year-long program of exhibitions and public events that returns to the values on which the house was founded – openness, the ability to evoke emotion, and the belief that iconic architecture should have a public dimension.
From the very beginning, the Dancing House was conceived with the ambition to be more than just a striking building. It was meant to be a place that naturally belongs to the city and its people, where architecture is intertwined with culture and public life. It is not just a form in motion, but a building that lives with the city rather than existing as a closed object. At the same time, it is one of the first prominent symbols of post-revolutionary Prague. It emerged at a time when the city, after 1989, was catching its breath and searching for a new language – one that was more open, confident, and bold. Václav Havel was also connected to the idea of its construction, supporting the emergence of modern architecture as a natural expression of newly gained freedom. The Dancing House thus became not only an architectural icon, but also a symbol of societal transformation.
This idea naturally extends to an emphasis on openness. Václav Havel envisioned the Dancing House as accessible to the public – not merely an architectural gesture, but a living place. Thanks to its current owner, PSN, this vision is reflected in how the building operates today: it is not a closed object, but a place with publicly accessible spaces – a hotel, a viewing terrace with a bar, a restaurant, and a gallery – and with cultural programming that keeps it “in motion” over the long term.
“When we acquired the Dancing House in 2013, we saw it as a commitment. We didn’t want it to be just an address – the building should be alive. It should have substance and give people a reason to come: to the hotel, the restaurant, and the gallery. And even after many years, it should retain the courage to be different,” says Václav Skala, owner of PSN.
The Dancing House, designed by Vlado Milunić in collaboration with Frank Gehry, is architecturally based on the contrast of two volumes, which also gave rise to its nickname Ginger and Fred. This name became widely used shortly after its completion, referring to the “dancing couple” suggested by its silhouette. One of its most distinctive technical features is the rooftop dome nicknamed the “Medusa”: made of stainless steel mesh, open at the top, with a diameter of 7 metres. The building has a total floor area of 5,842 m², was constructed between 1994 and 1996, and officially opened on June 20, 1996.
Anniversary program 2026: April in the gallery, June on the riverfront
The first anniversary event will be an exhibition at the Dancing House Gallery. The opening will take place on Tuesday, April 21, and the exhibition will be open to the public from April 22. “In the gallery, we will present an exhibition program as part of commemorating thirty years of the Dancing House. It is one of the first events of this year’s anniversary,” says Robert Vůjtek, Director of the Dancing House Gallery.
As part of the 30th anniversary exhibition, technical areas of the building that are normally inaccessible will be exceptionally opened to the public. Visitors will also see newly discovered photographs from the construction that have never been exhibited before, as well as videos documenting the construction and the history of the site at the corner of Jiráskovo Square and Rašínovo Embankment. The program will be complemented by interviews with figures connected to the building’s creation, including architects Eva Jiřičná and Ester Milunićová.
A detailed model of the building at a scale of 1:25 has also been created for the anniversary, standing over two metres tall. The exhibition will also present preserved furnishings designed by Eva Jiřičná that are no longer part of the building’s current interior. In addition, the exhibition will feature interactive and playful elements for students and the general public interested in architecture. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, the Dancing House Gallery is also planning to publish its own book about this unique building.
The exhibition is held under the auspices of the Václav and Dagmar Havel Foundation VIZE 97.
Exhibition information
Title: DANCING HOUSE: THE STORY OF AN ICONIC BUILDING
Opening: April 21, 2026
Open to the public: from April 22, 2026 - October 18, 2026
Venue: Dancing House Gallery, Jiráskovo náměstí 1982/6, Prague 2
The second part of the anniversary will be the June celebrations, prepared for the public on the riverfront in cooperation with the organization Díky, že můžem, which we have long supported. The program will be announced separately.
More information about the anniversary program and the history of the building can be found on the dedicated microsite www.td30.cz. The website also includes a space where people can leave a message for the Dancing House or share their own memories or stories connected to this iconic build
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