National Museum (Prague)

Národní Muzeum is the leading museum in the Czech Republic to the cultural and natural history. It has numerous collections, exhibition buildings and historically significant buildings. The main building houses an archaeological and historical department with a very outdated exhibition ( since 1966) on the prehistory and early history of the present territory (currently including Slovakia ), mineralogical, zoological and anthropological department. The term Národní Muzeum is also used for the main building on Wenceslas Square.

History

The museum was founded in 1818 as Vlastenecké Muzeum v Čechách ( patriotic museum in Bohemia). Since 1848 it was called the České Muzeum ( Bohemian Museum ), in the years 1854 to 1919 Muzeum Království Českého ( Museum of the Kingdom of Bohemia). Before the construction of the new headquarters for a time in the Sternberg Palace (1821-1846) and the Nostic palace was laid.

It all started with collections of Bohemian aristocrats. Some of the patriotic nobles, under the leadership of the scholar paleontologists Count Kaspar Maria von Sternberg, signed on April 15, 1818 a call for creation of a museum, whose construction was 1820, endorsed by the Vienna government. The newly formed company of the National Museum in Bohemia, as owner and manager of collections, organized the entire process all the tasks. The first chairman was Šternberg. Owner of the company remained until 1934, after which the administration and property were nationalized.

Main building

The building in the Neo-Renaissance style was designed and built by Josef Schulz from 1885 to 1891. The front is about 100 m long and is accessible via a ramp. On the accession are cast lanterns and an allegorical representation of the Czech Republic and Moravia and Silesia, Elbe and Vltava Pavel Antonín Wagner. On both sides of the entrance you can see symbolic representations of the history and science of Josef Maudr. There are also reliefs of the founding of the monastery in Zbraslav founding of Charles University in Prague, during the reign of Rudolf II ( HRR ) of Wagner on the front page. On the façade gilded marble plates are secured with names famous Czech personalities. There are sculptural groups of the Bohuslav Snirch ( sacrifice, passion, love of truth, love of history ) on the sides of the main tower. On the side peaks allegorical paintings of scientific areas by Wagner, Antonín Popp, Bernhard Otto Seeling, František Hergesell and Ludvik root is presented.

The interior comes largely from artists, who provided also the National Theatre. The building should stand out not only by its monumentality but also for its functionality. The entrance hall decorated with bronze statues of Libuse, Přemysl the Ploughman, Ottokar II and Prince Wenceslas of Bohemia by the Munich sculptor Ludwig Schwanthalerstraße. More works by this artist are on the staircase ( Elizabeth, George of Podiebrad, Ernest of Pardubice, Bohuslaus Lobkowicz of Hassenstein ). On the walls of famous places of Czech history are shown.

In the main building there are historical, archaeological and artistic exhibits from the history of Bohemia. The building is also home to the University library and lecture halls.

Stage of construction

During the Prague Spring in 1968 its front wall was damaged by tank rounds of the Red Army, which mistakenly strategically important kept the building and ran out of it, if it were the Houses of Parliament, the Presidential Palace or similar. The later repaired areas in the facade can still be seen today by the lighter color. In the 70s, threatened because of subway construction a partial demolition, the construction of the railway, there was still damage to the vestibule of the museum, which had to be reinforced. As the building was never fully set in stand, it is currently in a bad state of construction.

Renovation

At present, the museum is fully renovated, it is expected construction period of 5 years, so that the building in 2016 again is available to visitors. The costs are estimated to amount to 190 million euros.

Other exhibition spaces

In addition to the collections in the main building to the Museum also comprises the Náprstkovo Muzeum Asian, African and American cultures náměstí on Betlémské, Past exhibitions of the National Museum in the Lobkowicz Palace at the Prague Castle, Friedrich Smetana Museum in Novotného lávka, Antonín Dvořák Museum, Lapidárium on Vıstaviště ( exhibition grounds ), exposure of historical pharmacies in Nerudova, Jaroslav Jezek memorial of in Kaprova ulice, monument of František Palacký František Ladislav and Riegr in ulice Palacký, Czech Museum of Music in Karmelitská ulice and finally Czech Marionettenmuseunm in Prachatice.