7 Surprising Secrets of the National Museum in Prague
The National Museum in Prague, which is the biggest museum in the Czech Republic, was established over 200 years ago, thanks to generous private collections from smart aristocrats. Nowadays, this museum encompasses all fields of human knowledge. Two centuries ago, the total number of collections could perhaps fit into just one building; however, today, that is simply not realistic. The museum holds 3.5 million inventory numbers, which actually equate to more than 20 million items in its collection.
1. The National Museum and the year 1818
The beginnings of The Patriotic Museum of the Kingdom of Bohemia, now known as the National Museum, were similar to those in other parts of Europe, tied to donations from significant private collections, especially those focused on natural history. The announcement on April 15, 1818, about the creation of this museum was validated by the Viennese government and the monarchy in 1820. However, during its inception, the museum was very humble in its resources and immediately faced challenges regarding the storage of its collections. Under the guidance of Count Kaspar Maria Sternberg (1761-1838), a celebrated expert in palaeontology, the museum was first located in the Sternberg Palace at Hradčany. It wasn’t until 1846 that the collections moved to the former Nostic family palace, which is now the Savarin Palace on Na Příkopě Street. Only from the late 19th century did the National Museum find its permanent residence in a newly constructed museum building at the top of Wenceslas Square in Prague.
2. What our ancestors did not know
The historic building of the National Museum has been beautifully renovated, restoring its look from 1891, the year when the first visitors entered the museum. There’s so much for our ancestors to appreciate. It’s not just the multimedia features in the new exhibits, the accessibility for all, or the Children’s Museum. The National Museum also includes a new building connected to the historic one by an underground passage, and the surrounding area has been enhanced with brightly colored granite paving. In addition to the fresh exhibitions, visitors can also enjoy access to the dome for breathtaking views of historic Prague and Prague Castle.
3. Fountain in front of the National Museum
The memorials to Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc in front of the historic museum building are also worth examining closely. Did you know there’s a hidden monument to Jan Palach nearby that was created during the previous regime? The sculptures of Geniuses on the façade of the historic building are also one-of-a-kind, as is the fountain located in front. This three-tiered fountain, built in 1890, is crafted from Hradec Králové sandstone and Corsican red granite, although the red granite was replaced with Scandinavian red granite during its renovation in 1995. The fountain stands at the site where there were initial plans to place a statue of St. Wenceslas, but after some deliberation, the equestrian statue was ultimately moved further into the square. The fountain was designed by Josef Schulz, who also created the entire museum building. The allegorical statues of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, as well as the rivers Elbe and Vltava by sculptors Antonín Pavel Wagner and Čeňek Vosmík, along with the statues of History, Literature, and Natural Sciences by Josef Mauder, adorn the sides. Just like the whole National Museum, the fountain has also been refurbished. It now features 37 waterproof lights, allowing for up to 20 thousand different color combinations in its default mode.
4. The National Museum and a message for future generations
Traditionally, interesting items are preserved at the tops of towers for future generations. The oldest items in a mysterious box date back to 1972, discovered during facade repairs of the historic building. Among these were a note from the museum staff of the time, two commemorative coins, the daily newspaper Večerní Praha, and a collection of photographs. The new box placed in the lantern of the main tower of the National Museum now contains different items. In the event of further repairs, future generations will find details about ongoing restoration efforts, a selection of photographs showcasing exhibitions and major events, promotional material from organized displays, current Czech banknotes and coins, newspapers, and a special analogue medium with extra records; this data is expected to be readable for many decades.
5. National Museum in ciphers
The authors behind Prague-themed adventure games often use the names of 72 significant figures that are inscribed in golden letters beneath the windows of the National Museum for various secrets and puzzles. It’s straightforward: third window from the right, third letter; fifth window from the left, tenth letter… Interesting? Out of these seventy-two names, most are men, and they are not limited to Czech rulers, scientists, chroniclers, and other historical characters. Notable figures from abroad who contributed to the Czech lands are also represented, such as Pietro Andrea Mattioli, Johannes Kepler, Tycho Brahe, Joachim Barrande, and Christian Doppler.
6. Whale No. 2, dinosaur, and cracker
Among the exhibits that remained in place throughout the renovations due to its size, is the iconic natural history exhibit, the renowned minke whale. Even though its sizable skeleton was housed in the building during renovations, it underwent restoration and was returned to a newly designed natural science exhibition called Wonders of Evolution. Additionally, the National Museum has opted to introduce a brand new whale: instead of a skeleton, visitors can now see a realistic life-size model of an adult minke whale, alongside its larger counterpart.
A worthy addition for both whales is an exact replica of the only dinosaur found in the Czech Republic, based on a unique discovery made in 2003. At that time, palaeontologists discovered the femur of a prehistoric creature named Burianosaurus augustai in sandstone near Kutná Hora. The exhibition now also showcases a vibrant coral reef, featuring a 17-meter-long model of a giant crab along with many other incredible details.
7. The National Museum is not just one building
Like many of the world’s great museums, the National Museum is defined by its curiosity, a pursuit of understanding human history, education, meticulous research, and the sharing of knowledge. In addition to the Historical and New Buildings in Prague, the National Museum also includes the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African, and American Cultures located at Betlémské náměstí, the Czech Museum of Music in the Lesser Town, the Ethnographic Museum in the Kinský Summer Palace in Smíchov, the National Memorial in Vítkov, the Lapidarium at the Holešovice Exhibition Grounds, the Bedřich Smetana Museum, the Antonín Dvořák Museum, the Jaroslav Ježek Memorial, and the František Palacký and František Ladislav Rieger Memorials. Beyond Prague, the museum oversees the Bedřich Smetana Memorial in Jabkenice, the Josef Suk Memorial in Křečovice, the Museum of Czech Puppetry and Circus in Prachatice, the Vrchotovy Janovice Chateau, the Jan Palach Memorial in Všetaty, and the residence of Hana and Edvard Beneš in Sezimovo Ústí. The National Museum frequently promotes Czech culture and history on an international level.
