The Národní Muzeum was founded in 1818 by a group of Czech nobility who wished to raise the country’s prominence in the scientific community. The Historic Building, which today stands as the centerpiece of the Národní Muzeum, was designed in a Neo-Renaissance style by Czech architect and designer Josef Schultz. It officially opened to the public on May 18th, 1891, and was soon considered an international architectural masterpiece.
The natural history collection at the Museum Complex of the Národní Muzeum is among the institution’s largest. It contains over 15 million items spanning from several billion years ago to today.
Visiting the Národní Muzeum
A visit to the Museum Complex of the Národní Muzeum was not part of Rick Steves’ Best of Prague and Budapest tour, so I stopped by during some free time on our last day in Prague. I opted to visit this museum given my interest in science and history and my interest in exploring its beautiful interior. The inside of this museum is adorned with grand staircases, frescoes, gilded reliefs, marble columns, and beautiful glass ceilings and domes. Another reason for visiting is that you can climb to the top to enjoy great views of Prague.
The museum complex consists of the Historical Building and the New Building, each with a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits. I only had time to explore the permanent exhibits in the Historical Building, as this complex has an impressive number of displays and definitely requires more than two hours to explore. I also had the opportunity to visit the observation deck, but I did not stay long due to my fear of heights (see story below).
When visiting the museum complex, I recommend that visitors start at the History exhibit, which covers the history of the Czech lands from the 8th century through World War I. This exhibit has 2000 displays showcasing tapestries, manuscripts, weapons and armor, religious relics, paintings, and many artifacts discovered through archeological digs. Unfortunately, I started my visit with the science exhibits, leaving me with little time to view the history exhibits.
The three science-focused exhibits – Windows into Prehistory, Miracles of Evolution, and Hall of Minerals – are equally fascinating and impressive. The Windows into Prehistory and Miracles of Evolution brought out the kid in me as I wandered through the halls lined with amazing fossils, many dating back to the Paleolithic period, and rooms filled with models of prehistoric animals.
The New Building of the museum complex contains a lapidarium, an exhibit on Bohemian stone monuments from the 11th through the 19th century, and exhibits showcasing the Czech Republic’s 20th-century history. The New Building also houses the Children’s Museum.
The museum complex is located in Nové Město (New Town) at the head of Wenceslas Square. It is very accessible via public transportation, with a metro station and bus stop located right across the street. Regarding walking distance, it is about 15 minutes from Old Town Square and 25 minutes from Charles Bridge.
A View from the Top
I am very much terrified of heights but can manage climbing towers and domes by looking straight ahead and avoiding looking down. So you can imagine my horror when I reached the top, and the floor was clear, squeaky plexiglass!! I honestly felt like I was going to fall through, thus it was not a pleasant experience. I stayed long enough to take some pictures and then ran as fast as I could to the exit!
My reward for conquering my fears was amazing views of St. Vitus Cathedral and Wenceslas Square.
The Národní Muzeum sells passes that cover admission to both the Historical Building and the New Building, but the Children’s Museum requires a separate ticket. This ticket is time-entry specific for a 90-minute slot.
The museum offers admission discounts to children and those in certain age groups. A few days a year, the Národní Muzeum offers free admission to all visitors.
An e-ticket is only valid for 30 days from the purchase date. All tickets are valid for just one single visit.
Travel Tips
The Národní Muzeum is a network of museums throughout Prague that provides visitors with a never-ending source of exhibits focusing on history, art, music, and science.
For reference, these are all the museums:
Czech Museum of Music
Náprstek Museum of Asian, African, and American Cultures
Ethnographic Museum of the National Museum
Antonín Dvořák Museum
Bedřich Smetana Museum
Memorial to František Palacký and František Ladislav Rieger
Museum of Czech Puppets and Circus
Vrchotovy Janovice Chateau
Statue of St. Wenceslas
One of Wenceslas Square’s main attractions is the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas, sculpted by Josef Václav Myslbek. Wenceslas served as Prince of Bohemia in the 10th century before his brother and a group of nobles assassinated him.
The statue of St. Wenceslas is surrounded by carvings of four other Czech saints: Saint Ludmila, Saint Agnes of Bohemia, Saint Prokop, and Saint Adalbert of Prague.
Memorial to Jan Palach
Near the entrance of the Historical Building, there is this simple but very poignant memorial dedicated to Czech student Jan Palach. The late 1960s were turbulent years in what was then the country of Czechoslovakia. In January of 1969, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in an effort to stop the reforms of Alexander Dubček in a period known as the Prague Spring. Then, on January 16th, Jan set himself on fire as a form of political protest. He was 20 at the time of his death.
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Resources
For more information on the Národní Muzeum, you can visit its website.
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