Thanks to the country’s vast cultural riches, there are a remarkable number of museums and galleries in the Czech Republic – more than 700 nationwide.
National Museum in Prague
The largest museum in the Czech Republic. It is devoted to a great number of fields of research from natural to specialized social sciences. It consists of five specialized departments: Natural History Museum, Historical Museum, National Museum Library, Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures and Czech Music Museum. www.nm.cz
National Gallery
National Gallery in Prague manages abundant collections of both Czech and foreign works of art. The following sites are open to the public:
Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia (Klášter sv. Anežky České) – Collection of old art (Medieval Art of Bohemia and Central Europe)
St George’s Convent (Klášter sv. Jiří) – Collection of old art (Rudolphine art, Baroque art)
Kinský Palace (Palác Kinských) – Exhibition of Czech landscape painting of 17th to 20th century
Sternberg Palace (Šternberský palác) – European Art from the Classical Era to the Close of Baroque
Veletržní Palace (Veletržní palác) – Graphic art of 19th-21st century
Prague Castle Riding Scholl (Jízdárna Pražského hradu) , Wallenstein Riding School (Valdštejnská jízdárna) – exhibition spaces
House at the Black Madonna (Dům U černé matky Boží) – Museum of Czech Cubism
Zbraslav Chateau – Collection of Asian Art
www.ngprague.cz
National Technical Museum in Prague
Focuses on the history of science and technology. Its exhibits include such unique items such as the 16th-century astronomical instruments Tycho de Brahe used to work with, or the first Czechoslovak automobile. Permanent exhibitions deal with the measuring of time, transport, technologies of film and photography, acoustics and astronomy. Address: Kostelní 42, 170 78 Prague 7, Tel.: 220 399 111, Fa 220 399 200, e-mail: info@ntm.cz, www.ntm.cz
Museum of Decorative Arts in PragueMuseum of Decorative Arts in Prague
Collects, processes and preserves the past and the present of art handicraft, applied art and design. Permanent exhibitions include fashion, glass, ceramics, applied graphics and photography.
www.upm.cz
City Gallery Prague
The gallery, which is focused on Czech 20th century art, displays its collections at several sites:
- Golden Ring House (Dům U Zlatého prstenu) – Czech 20th-century art. Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Address: Týnská 6, Prague 1
- Stone Bell House (Dům U Kamenného zvonu) – Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Address: Staroměstské nám. 13, Prague 1
- Old Town Hall (Staroměstská radnice) – Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Address: Staroměstské nám. 1, Prague 1
- Bílek Villa – František Bílek’s studio and works. Address: Mickiewiczova 1, Prague 6 – Hradčany
- František Bílek’s House in Chýnov (Dům Františka Bílka v Chýnově) – František Bílek’s studio and works. Address: Údolní 133, 391 55 Chýnov u Tábora
- Municipal Library (Městská knihovna) – Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Address: Mariánské nám. 1 (entrance from Valentinská street), Prague 1
- Troja Chateau (Trojský zámek) – New permanent exhibition under construction. Address: U Trojského zámku 1, Prague 7
Czech Museum of Fine Art in Prague
The museum focuses mainly on the development of Czech 20th-century art. Nowadays, the premises of the former Jesuit College in Kutná Hora – to be opened in 2007 – are being re-adapted for the museum’s purposes. The existing lack of space needed for a comprehensive understanding of the collections has been solved by means of both small- and large-scale projects and collection exhibition series either in the museum’s own exhibition rooms on Husova street or Carolinum, or in rooms provided by some regional or international institutions. Address: Husova 19-21, 110 01 Prague 1, Tel.: +420- 222 220 218, Fa +420- 222 221 190, e-mail: muzeum@cmvu.cz, www.cmvu.cz
Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum owns one of the largest collection of Jewish artifacts in the world, containing about 40,000 collection items and 100,000 books. It is quite unique not only in terms of the quantity of collection items but, primarily, due to the fact that they all come from a single self-contained area – Bohemia and Moravia. The collection thus provides a comprehensive picture of the life and history of the Jewish in the region. The Jewish Museum administers the following sites: Maisel Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Old Jewish Cemetery, Klaus Synagogue, Ceremonial Hall (Prague Burial Society building), Robert Guttmann Gallery, and Education and Culture Center. www.jewishmuseum.cz
The Prague City Museum
The museum’s main building at Florenc houses the permanent exhibition called Historic Prague – History of the Town and Its People from Prehistory to 1784. Langweil’s model of Prague of 1826–34 is its unique, and obviously the most attractive, exhibit. Address: Na Poříčí 52, 180 00 Prague 8.
Furthermore, the museum administers the Műller Villa, which is one of the best achievements of the renowned architect Adolf Loos, and one of the most significant modern structures in the nation. Address: Nad Hradním vodojemem 14 / 642, 162 00 Prague 6 – Střešovice
Prague City Museum’s exhibits can also be seen at the Podskalská Customs House (Podskalské celnici) na Výtoni. There is the permanent exhibition of the History of the Defunct Podskalí – Floats and Boats on the Vltava. Address: Rašínovo nábř. 412, 120 00 Prague 2
.
www.muzeumprahy.cz
Museum of Military History
The m,useum focuses on artillery, missile and heavy-combat technologies. There are several hundred tanks, armored vehicles, armored carriers, military trucks and passenger vehicles. The collections include a unique array of the Škoda-system cannons, starting with the first late 19th-century prototypes. The exhibition is situated between the villages of Krhanice and Lešany near Týnec nad Sázavou on the grounds of the former artillery barracks.
Address: Military Technical Museum (Vojenské technické muzeum) Lešany, 257 42 Krhanice.
Location: ca. 30 kilometers south of Prague, near Jílové u Prahy.
The Museum of Military History is managed by the Institute of Military History in CR, which also looks after the collections of the museum of Army and Flying.
www.vhu.cz
Terezín Memorial
Terezín was founded as a fortress at the end of the 18th century. The town, still surrounded by massive ramparts, is situated close to the confluence of the Labe and Ohře rivers. A concentration camp, the so-called Terezín Ghetto, was established there in WWII. Location: Ústí nad Labem region, 5 kilometers by the most direct way south of Litoměřice. Address: Principova alej 304, 411 55 Terezín, e-mail: pamatnik@pamatnik-terezin.cz, www.pamatnik-terezin.cz
Adddresses of other selected museums and galleries
- Addresses of other selected museums and galleries:
- Museum of Eastern Bohemia (Muzeum východních Čech), Hradec Králové: http://www.muzeumhk.cz/
- Museum of the Podkrkonoší region (Podkrkonošské muzeum) : http://www.muzeum.cz
- Toy Museum (Muzeum hraček): http://muzeumhracek.webpark.cz
- Wax Museum (Muzeum voskových figurín) : www.waxmuseumprague.cz
- Museum of nativity scenes (Muzeum betlémů): www.pruvodce.com/trebechovice
- Museum of Tomáš G.Masaryk (Muzeum Tomáše G. Masaryka): www.muzeumtgm.cz
- Museum of Communism (Muzeum komunismu): www.muzeumkomunismu.cz
