National Museum
The National Museum in Prague is the biggest museum in the Czech Republic. The historical building is situated at the upper end of Wenceslas Square and visitors can see exhibits from all fields of science, from zoology and botany to history and mineralogy.
In addition, the National Museum manages ten other institutions in separate buildings in Prague and has five departments – the Historical Museum, the National Museum Library, the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures and the Czech Museum of Music.
Useful information for visitors
Public transport connections
Opening hours and admission
The National Museum manages several buildings and collections, some of which operate with different opening hours. For a list of all the buildings and exhibitions and for information about opening hours and admission fees, visit the official website.
Interesting facts about National Museum
The National Museum was founded in 1818 by Count Kašpar Maria von Šternberk, a palaeontologist who dedicated his vast collections to the museum. The majority of the exhibits of the National Museum are located in the dominant neo-Renaissance building on Wenceslas Square. However, the building was built no sooner than 73 years after the establishment of the museum, according to the design by Josef Schulz. The main goal was to build a building that would impress with its monumentality. The price was corresponding – the construction cost was 2 million guldens (without any furnishings). Besides the used material, such as marble and natural stones, it stands out with its impressive decorations – the impressive staircase, the fountain on the museum ramp, twenty Tuscan columns, etc.
In 2006, the former seat of the Radio Free Europe, situated in the house opposite the National Museum, came under the management of the museum. The main building was severely damaged several times. In 1968, the front façade was damaged by Soviet machine-gun fire and later it was also damaged during the construction of the Prague Metro. Since 2011, extensive reconstruction work has been carried out.
Classical music concerts and various accompanying events take place on the staircase of the National Museum throughout the year. For more information, click here.
