NATIONAL MUSEUM (NÁRODNÍ MUZEUM)

This gigantic neo-Renaissance building is also a product of the national awakening. It dominates Wenceslas Square, in perfect alignment with the equestrian statue of the patron saint of the Czechs, and is located where, until 1875, there was one of the gates through which people entered the city. It was completed in 1890 by Josef Schulz in a neo-Renaissance style. The exterior of the museum is decorated by the statue Čechie, which represents three Czech rivers (Vltava, Otava and Labe-l'Elbe) and the Krkonoše Mountains. The interior surprises with an imposing staircase and huge rooms decorated by various artists of the time. Renovation work has been successful and the collections have been restored and enriched under the museum's prestigious painted ceilings. A very large department is devoted to minerals and fossils, from which the course of time will unfold, from prehistory to the present day, following a large gallery of evolution where all species, whether terrestrial or marine, animal or vegetable, are presented in a precise, documented and interactive manner. The visit to the historical monument of the National Museum will end with the visit to the dome, to enjoy the dominant panoramic views of Wenceslas Square, before migrating to the new building of the museum via an underground gallery where musical and luminous animations trace the evolution of Wenceslas Square. This new part of the museum, housed in the former premises of Radio Free Europe, traces the history of the 20th century in the Czech Republic. After a jump in the time elevator, which scrolls through the ninety years from 1914 to 2004 with powerful images, we enter the heart of the matter. Through a multitude of objects, films and testimonies, all the themes of life are addressed: sports, industry, culture, politics, education, music, design, but also more dramatic pages such as the world wars, the cold war and the communist period, the partition with Slovakia ... A mind-boggling profusion of objects, antiques or documents take place in showcases or interiors of apartments and houses recreated in order to bring back to life a whole era, not so far away, but remained so long ignored by the West because located on the other side of the Iron Curtain. A must-see for those who want to know more about Czech history.