Discover Museums Thrilling with Modern Tech: Dive into Holograms, Videomapping, and Virtual Reality

Say goodbye to dull display cases and the dust you find on old exhibits! Modern museums dive you right into the action with virtual reality, video mapping, holograms, and smart audio guides. Want to know how? Join Which way out of boredom to discover the latest multimedia experiences waiting for you! At the National Museum in Prague, you’ll hop on a train that takes you through different centuries.

In Žďár nad Sázavou, the Museum of the New Generation uses an audioguide to transport you back to the Middle Ages and the Baroque period. Over in Roztoky near Prague, the multimedia exhibition Archevita lets you explore prehistory. The Regional Museum in Jílové u Prahy showcases an exhibit filled with gold from King Charles IV. and the St. Wenceslas Crown. Meanwhile, at the National World War II Memorial in Opava, you can experience a virtual air raid from the days of World War II. In Olomouc, you can explore the Romanesque Zdík Palace, and at Dinosauria just outside Prague, you’ll come face-to-face with giant dinosaurs. You’ll also see videomapping about fires in Prague, film experiments at the NaFilM museum, and experience augmented reality at the Tatra Truck Museum in Kopřivnice. With modern technology, even the most ordinary subjects can be exciting and fun: you will find yourself enjoying Baroque statues, history, geography or even chemistry.

Dive into Technology that turns history into a thrilling adventure and plan a trip where you can have fun, learn, and be amazed – from the prehistoric times all the way to the Future. With modern technology, even regular subjects become enjoyable: you’ll unexpectedly take pleasure in baroque statues, history, and geography. We’ll also recommend museums where you can use an audio guide. But be aware, in many places the audioguide serves merely as a fun supplement to avoid lengthy reading, but, for example, at the Museum of the New Generation in Žďár nad Sázavou, it becomes essential. And there’s even more! Some exhibitions feature simple holograms and virtual reality. Thanks to these innovations, you can travel deep into the past to explore dinosaurs, the Stone Age, or the Middle Ages, as well as the history and present of the film industry.

At the National Museum, you get on a time train. A ticket? Virtual reality!

Who says that time travel is only for heroes in sci-fi films? Just visit the National Museum in Prague, put on special virtual reality goggles – and you’ll find yourself sitting in an old train car. The train moves slowly and you alternate between the late 19th century, the 1930s, and the 1960s. And who knows, you may even catch a glimpse of the future.
The interactive installation Steps of Progress, set to debut in Summer 2025 at the permanent exhibition History, offers an unusual journey. At each stop, you’ll encounter fellow travelers who impacted Czech and global history: Inventor František Křižík, composer Antonín Dvořák, visionary and entrepreneur Tomas Bata, actress and wife Karel Čapek Olga Scheinpflug, scientist and popularizer Nobel laureate Jaroslav Heyrovsky, and actor Jan Werich. Their fictional but insightful conversations are tinged with humor and sometimes subtle irony. In the end, two robots sit in the train compartment, showcasing that the viewpoint of humanity can also be… artificial.
Virtual Reality isn’t the only draw. The National Museum has been blending history with tech for a while now. Using the Museum in Your Pocket mobile app, you can activate augmented reality for the legendary mouse whale, providing a glimpse into Czech history, and with Augmented Reality Pantheon: Living Roots, you can meet prominent figures from Czech history. Enjoy watching them come to life right in front of you.
However, the interactive Steps of Progress introduces another level to the museum visit – truly pulling you into the action. It’s not merely a visual show, but a call to reflect: progress is rarely a straightforward journey. It often curves, twists, and turns. Sometimes, it’s wise to pause and reconsider where we’re headed.

Museum of the New Generation in Žďár nad Sázavou

You might expect a lot of gadgets here, but in the Museum of the New Generation, situated in the former Cistercian monastery—now the castle of the Kinsky family—in Žďár nad Sázavou, expect a multimedia story filled with surprises, narratives, and fascinating facts. Unlike many other places where the audioguide is just a pleasant distraction, here, it’s essential. When you arrive at the front desk, you will receive headphones with an audio guide, and you’ll be pulled into the experience listening to the voices of a Cistercian monk and a young girl from modern times discussing their environment. The first half of the journey plunges you into a dark The Middle Ages, when the first monastery was founded in the area, while the second half invites you into the captivating Baroque world. At almost every stop, you’ll discover unique multimedia twists that will captivate you and hold your attention. Be prepared for your visit to last much longer than you originally planned. For the record, the Museum of the New Generation has received the Ziva award for the most creative museum in Central Europe. This entire exhibition serves as a key to understanding Żďár and its surroundings, including the monastery grounds and the pilgrimage church on Zelená hora, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit; it’s only a few hundred meters from the museum!

Prehistory with all the senses: Archaeology in Roztoky in Prague

For fans of Archaeology and history, the Central Bohemia Museum in Roztoky near Prague brings you the multimedia archaeological exhibition called Archevita – traces of the ages. This exhibit allows you to engage with history through all your senses. You can meet a praetor, see how ancient axes were crafted, or learn about past trade practices—all supported by projections, holograms, and virtual reality. From interacting with a prairie dog to seeing how axes were made in ancient times or how trade occurred back in the day, there are 1:1 scale models of original dwelling types, intriguing archaeological finds, and reconstructions of burial sites. All of this is enhanced with computer perspectives and holographic displays. Prehistoric artifacts can be viewed in the gallery, accompanied by life-sized models of burial sites with video mapping.

A trip to the Middle Ages: Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc

At the Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc, in addition to showcasing magnificently restored interiors, you’ll discover places that were unknown for centuries. With screens displaying virtual visualizations, you’ll explore St. Wenceslas Hill along with Přemyslid Castle and St. Wenceslas Cathedral during prehistoric, medieval, and contemporary periods. You can also enjoy a 3D tour of the Zdík Palace with VR goggles. Why should you? OlomoucThe Romanesque bishop’s palace is one of the most significant High Romanesque residential structures in Europe. The commonly used name Premyslid Palace came about because it was believed to have been the residence of the Olomouc princes from the Přemyslid dynasty. Yet, we now understand that the palace was actually the residence of Bishop Jindřich Zdík of Olomouc, a prominent figure in 12th-century Czech history.
Moreover, you’ll get to see a facsimile of a rare Olomouc horology, also referred to as the Olomouc Collector, from the early half of the 12th century. This manuscript was commissioned by Bishop Jindřich Zdík for the Olomouc Chapter of St. Wenceslas. The illustrated work became a historic treasure during the Thirty Years’ War, as it was captured by the Swedish army and is now housed in the Royal Library in Stockholm, Sweden.

King, alchemist, and gold: virtual treasures in the museum in Jílové u Prahy

The Regional Museum in Jílové u Prahy also bets on virtual reality. Here you will see an exhibition brimming with gold and be transported to the realm of medieval miners and mining in the Jílové gold mining area. Through the use of virtual reality, you can view ancient mining machines at work. Because gold is considered a treasure, the exhibit also includes a golden boulder and a replication of the long-lost Podmokelsky treasure. Did you know it weighed around forty to fifty kilograms and would be valued at about half a billion Czech crowns today? You can even virtually enter the replica of the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Karlštejn Castle, where King Charles IV himself awaits you with the St. Wenceslas Crown.
Don’t miss the other exhibits: one covers the phenomenon of tramping, while another named Ora et labora introduces 3D models that guide you through the history of the Ostrov Monastery and the extinct medieval town of Sekanka. This town was located on the island of St. Kilian just before the confluence of the Vltava a Sázava rivers near Davle, but you can only reach it by boat or swimming.
The previous owner of the house housing the Regional Museum was the alchemist Edward Kelly. He spent some time living in Jílové u Prahy, and at the entrance to the gold exhibition, you’ll find him waiting for you in a virtual form. By the way, the museum inherited an intriguing story from him: it is said that he occasionally haunts the location and mischievously hides things from both visitors and staff.

Dinosauria Prague: face to face with dinosaurs

Embark on an extraordinary adventure, coming face-to-face with dinosaurs in the modern interactive world of Dinosauria Museum Prague, located just outside the city in Tuchoměřice. Here you can appreciate real dinosaur skeletons that are up to 154 million years old, lifesize models, and an incredible mineral collection featuring 6,000 exhibits. Not only will you see the largest private collection of actual dinosaur skeletons, but you’ll also discover models of ancient creatures so lifelike that they might give you goosebumps. All of this combined with cutting-edge technology promises a unique experience at the intersection of fun and discovery.

Prague is burning: exhibition in the New Mill Water Tower in Prague

Videomapping is an amazing spectacle, but it’s still rare in museums. One notable exception is the captivating Prague is Burning exhibition at the New Mill Water Tower in Prague. Additionally, the Museum of the City of Prague has placed it in the historical setting of the former water tower, which played a crucial role during past devastating fires. Much like other cities, Prague has had its fair share of frequent fires—attacking places like the Old and New Town Halls, Týn Cathedral, the National Theatre, and most recently, the Industrial Palace. This exhibition revolves around that topic. Using video mapping, animation, and virtual reality, you’ll peer into the burning National Theatre, learn about the history and operations of water towers, and uncover fire events throughout history and the stories of Prague’s firefighters. You won’t be bored by the view from the tower’s top floor either: through peepholes, you will glimpse into virtual reality where various flames “pop up” on an animated timeline, depicting where fires broke out at any given time. Furthermore, you can also download a mobile app and track fires in Prague chronologically while accessing insights from contemporary sources, examining historical firefighting equipment, and browsing period graphics and paintings.

NaFilM Interactive Film Museum in Prague

Fun museum installations at the NaFilM Film Museum connect history with today’s technologies, appealing to all generations. Unique exhibits have been crafted especially for the museum, allowing visitors to learn about film through hands-on experiences. You’ll discover the oldest projectors like the magic lantern, and a classic 35mm projector on a crank that can project films from a reel. The museum also features a bustle studio where you can create your own sound recordings, following in the footsteps of the world-famous “brunchers,” the movement experts from Barrandov, as well as the J. E. Purkyně Laboratory for vision experiments. To cap off your visit, you can even create your own animated film to take home. Starting in March 2023, visitors can experience the first Czech film made in virtual reality.

Augmented reality at the Tatra Truck Museum in Kopřivnice

The Tatra Truck Museum opened its doors in 2021 in Kopřivnice, within the hall of a former foundry located on the outskirts of the Tatra factory site. Visitors can view unique road transport items, not only in person but also through augmented reality (AR). This involves projecting real objects supported by computer-created images, giving visitors a captivating glimpse into reality while integrating digital elements. For example, in the display of the oldest vehicles, there are many preserved chassis, yet the complete vehicles are no longer present. With the available AR mobile app, visitors can see virtually reconstructed complete cars by simply pointing their device at the chassis, which reveals the exhibit on their screen. Another feature allows virtual interaction with the vehicle’s interior, offering 360-degree photos of the vehicle’s cabin. Most of the displays are also equipped with QR codes. In the museum’s back, a video presentation highlights the Tatra phenomenon through a video mapping film.

Interactive war history at the Hrabyně Memorial

The new exhibit at the National World War II Memorial in Hrabyně, located in Opava, is titled A Time of Turmoil and Hope. This exhibit highlights key moments of World War II using modern technology and interactive elements to provide a deeply engaging journey into wartime history. A standout feature is the breathtaking battle scene referencing the Ostrava-Opava operation. This scene transports you to various periods before the war, through battlefields, concentration camps, and the exact spot where Reinhard Heydrich was wounded, alongside glimpses into the everyday lives of those behind the scenes. In a special room, you can experience a simulation of an air raid to understand the feelings of those living during bombings. Above all of this, historical films are shown, relating to our country’s liberation.

Museums and cities where you can enjoy the best visuals and multimedia experiences

• • At the Memorial of National Oppression and Resistance in Panenské Břežany, you can view the virtual reality reenactment of the attack against Acting Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich. Through the eyes of main characters, you will witness Operation Anthropoid. Virtual reality gives insights into the experiences of the key actors involved in the attack, including Josef Gabčík, Jan Kubiš, Reinhard Heydrich, Johannes Klein, and bystanders like Marie Navarro.

• • Within the archaeological museum The Shatlava in Česká Lípa, you’ll find an infobox where you can explore a virtual 3D model of the city during the Middle Ages and access a touchscreen to delve into various caves from Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia.

• • During the tour at the Museums of the Hlučín Region, virtual reality will take you back to Hlučín Square in the early 20th century. You’ll become a part of the real history of Opava Silesia and experience significant historical moments. The visit includes various interactive elements.Places offering multimedia experiences, touch panels, and screens include the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav, Ostrava Museum, Brewery Museum in Pilsen, or the Bee World Museum in Hulice; where you can walk through a beehive with amazing honeycombs, explore bee anatomy on touchscreen monitors, take quizzes on bee life, or listen to the sounds of a hive. With an audio guide, you can navigate through the Museum of Baroque Sculptures in Chrudim or the Museum of Glass and Costume Jewelry in Jablonec nad Nisou; you’ll find text recordings accompanied by photographs of select artifacts. An audio guide in multiple languages will assist you in discovering many cities, including Olomouc, Český Krumlov, and Cheb. If you’re interested, inquire at local information centers.