More than 700 museums eloquently document the development of nature and society on the territory of three historic lands in the heart of Europe – Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, which today make up the
Czech Republic. The museums were founded gradually over the last two centuries
and gather together 50 million collectors items from all walks of human activity
and knowledge. Apart from the big provincial museums in Prague, Brno and Opava
and specialised museums (of which the largest number are fine art collections),
innumerable regional museums reflect local interests. Some where founded as an
expression of patriotic feelings and longing for national emancipation during
the times when the country still belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire; others
later, after the founding of the independent Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. In
almost every community the museum is the traditional centre of education and
cultural events, it provides the focus for the results of enthusiastic
collecting activity and presents through absorbing teaching methods the valuable
inheritance of local history and geography. The standard of Czech museums is
testified to not only by the seven million visitors who visit them every year,
but also by the prestigious prize conferred by the Council of Europe in its
European Museum of the Year Award on the Náprstek Museum in Prague (1992), the
Lapidarium of the National Museum in Prague (1995), the Práchen Region Museum in
Písek (1996), and „Bohemian Paradise“ Museum in Turnov (2001). Here we have
marked out for you the most interesting collections and exhibitions, which may
help you build up pictures of the people, nature, history and art of Czechia. We
bring to your attention the museums which best represent the character of individual regions. On the map (click on link on the left side) is an alphabetical list of all places mentioned.
For map of museums in our country click here.
Museums in Prague
Here we have marked out for you the most interesting collections and exhibitions, which may help you build up pictures of the people, nature, history and art of Czech Republic. We bring to your attention the most
important museums and galleries in Prague.
Aviation Museum, Prague 9 – Kbely
As for the quantity and quality of collections, the museum ranks among the
best museums of aviation in Europe. At present the collections contains 275
aeroplanes, of that 85 are exhibited in four covered halls, 25 in uncovered
exposition premises, 155 are placed in depositories and 10 flight worthy
aeroplanes are operated. A lot of them represent world–unique pieces.
Technical Museum, Prague 6
The collections of the National Technical Museum comprise approximately
60.000 filing items and contain many–times higher number of individual objects.
These items are deposited on about 13.000 m2. Nine percent of them are displayed
in permanent exhibitions. Permanent exhibitions are divided in eight groups:
Mining, Metallurgy, Measurement of time, Transport hall, INTERCAMERA –
Photography and cinematography, Acoustics, Astronomy and Development of
telecommunications.
Antonin Dvorák Museum, Prague 1
A Czech composer that is known by the world all over is Dvorák. The ground
floor displays cover the composers’ life with memorabilia, photographs, some of
Dvorak’s gowns. Upstairs is a fresco decorated recital hall. The Baroque styled
building was built by the famed Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer whose buildings can
be found all over Prague and although restored now to its former glory was once
during the 19th century a cattle market.
Bedrich Smetana Museum, Prague 1
Smetana is not so known in the world but he is probably the most popular
Czech composer in the Czech Republic. The most known album is called “Ma Vlast”,
which means my country that describes the Czech landscapes.
Bertramka – Mozart and Dusek’s Museum, Prague 5
Mozartova 169, Prague 5. This place has never been the home of Mozart, but
he composed parts of some of his most famous works in the villa. A century
passed after his death before the villa was turned into a memorial for him. This
is a museum for those people that would to like to experience some of Mozart’s
working atmosphere.
The Historical Museum, Prague 1
Here you will find many treasures from the Czech Republic, which will give
you great insight into the history of the country.
The Jewish Museum, Prague 1
Hitler planned to make a museum in Prague that should be "a museum of an
extinct race". Therefore some of the oldest religious objects in Europe ended up
in Prague, and are now a part of the collection. The first place to visit is the
Old Jewish Cemetery. In this cemetery lie 12.000 graves from the 15th century to
the 19th because Jewish tradition forbids the cancellation of a grave. In
connection with the cemetery you will find the Ceremonial, where you will find a
collection of art created by Jews and Jewish children who where interned at the
Terezin concentration camp during World War II. The ticket also includes the
Klausen Synagogue, where you can see an exhibition of Jewish customs and
traditions. For a separate ticket you can see the Old New Synagogue, which dates
back to 1280 and was one of the oldest serving synagogues in Europe.
Komenský Museum, Prague 1
This museum has a pedagogical collection, which is dedicated to the very
famous philospher Comenius (1592 – 1670). His ideas about teaching and
pedagogical methods were far ahead of his time. His portrait can be seen on the
Czech 200 crown note and there is an university named after him in Rotterdam,
the Netherlands.
Mucha museum, Prague 1
The Mucha Museum invites you to discover the works of the great Czech artist,
Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939), the master of Art Nouveau. A comprehensive cross
section of works loaned by the Mucha Foundation including lithographs, paintings,
drawings, pastels, statues, photographs and personal memorabilia provides you
with a unique view into the universe of the artist who is famous for the posters
he created for Sarah Bernhardt, the theatrical legend of fin – de – siècle
Paris. The museum is housed in the 18th century Kaunitz Palace in the very heart
of Prague.
Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague 1
This museum was founded in 1885, and has fine examples of decoration art.
The Museum of Military Resistance, Prague 3
For those that are interested in World War II, as it is devoted to the
resistance movement in Czechoslovakia.
The National Museum, Prague 1
The largest museum in Prague. The museum, built in Neo–renaissance style is
situated at the end of Vaclavske Square. The museum is worth a visit only
because of the fantastic building itself. You will find old fossils and other
weird artefacts in this interesting museum.
The Postal Museum, Prague 1
A permanent exhibitions of postage stamps of the Czech Republic and
Czechoslovakia, classic postage stamps of Europe and the U.S.A., specialized
exhibitions of stamp creation – stamps of the Prague Castle, the Russian
gubernian parliaments, classic Austrian postage stamps and others, a library and
study room of philatelic and postal history literature, the original interior of
a Prague townhouse from the middle of the 19th century – 4 saloons with wall
paintings by Josef Navrátil from 1847.
Podskalská Custom House, Prague 2
If you are a steam engine fan this may be the place for you, as it shows the history of the use of steam engines for navigation in Prague. Podskali itself served as the centre for steam engine navigation and many sailors and raftsmen
lived there.