Museums in Prague 1 (Prague)

Prazske Panoptikum (Prague Wax Museum)

Some of the backdrops here are as entertaining as the wax figures themselves: Franz Kafka stands beside convincing reconstructions of a shop and inn of his time; Emperor Rudolf II and his court alchemist - the Englishman Edward Kelley - stand watching an experiment in Kelley's dim laboratory. There are many figures from Czech history here, from Austrian emperors to the first Czech Communist President Klement Gottwald as well as cultural figures such as Antonin Dvorak, movie director Milos Forman and playwright-turned-president Vaclav Havel. The only thing that seems to be lacking is information which puts the characters in the context of their time. A short multimedia projection entitled "Love through Seven Centuries" explores the romantic nature of Prague.

Bedrich Smetana Museum

Housed in a single, spacious room with an excellent vantage point overlooking the River Vltava, this exhibition gives us a glimpse into the difficult life of the man who composed "The Bartered Bride" and the "My Country" symphonic poem-cycle. However, there are relatively few artifacts on display. Visitors can select a favorite Smetana tune by pointing with a laser—tipped 'baton'. A small section is devoted to changing exhibits about Smetana and the musical life of the nineteenth century.

Komensky Pedagogical Museum

J. A. Komensky better known as Comenius, lived from 1592 to 1670 and is considered a founder of humanistic pedagogy. He is also known for his illustrated children's book Orbis Pictus. As a minister of the Moravian Brethren, he fled the Czech lands following the Catholic victory over the Czech Protestants in 1620. He maintained close ties with Protestants in England and Holland as he strove to bring about peace. He finally died in Amsterdam. Few people visit this interesting exhibition which is to be found in the middle of Mala Strana.

Mucha Museum

A legend in his own lifetime, Alfons Mucha precipitated his rise to world fame in 1894 with his poster of actress Sarah Bernhardt in "Gismonda" which introduced the art nouveau style. Mucha was born in 1860 in Moravia, now part of the Czech Republic. His family opened this museum in 1998. It contains the artist's famously ornate posters, cookie and champagne labels, bicycle ads, etc. Each item shows off his use and mastery of intricate detail and pastel colors. There are also other images, painted depictions of age, poverty and war, the artist's sketchbooks showing how he worked out his decorative patterns, and photographs both by and of Mucha. Prague is full of Mucha souvenirs and the gift shop here is a good place to find some of the more tasteful ones.

Museum of Decorative Arts

During the course of the year 2000, the museum's excellent collections of European applied arts from the sixteenth to the mid-twentieth century are being completely redone in a new, thematic exhibition. The building, hemmed in by the Old Jewish Cemetery on one side, is too small to display more than a tantalizing sample of its famous glass and photography holdings, to name just two. A half-dozen annual temporary exhibitions, both of museum artifacts and loaned material are also organized. The museum has a small gift shop selling books, postcards and replicas.

Museum of the City of Prague

Here you'll find case after case of historical artifacts, documents, weapons and maps documenting the history of Prague from early archaeological finds to 18th Century ones. One of the highlights is the huge cardboard model of the city created by a servant at the 'National Museum' between 1826 and 1834. The detail is amazing, down to the colors of doorways and the designs of windowsills; you could spend hours comparing 'then' with 'now'.Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is the fact that Prague's historic city center has altered so little since those times.

National Museum (Národní muzeum)

One of the city's most characteristic sights, this massive Neo-Renaissance construction dating back to the late nineteenth century overlooks the town from the top end of Wenceslas Square. Soviet troops fired on the museum as they occupied Prague in August 1968. The interior is fairly dramatic: a grand staircase sweeps up to the Pantheon, a hall filled with busts of Czech cultural heroes. The exhibits are old-fashioned, focusing on fossils, stuffed animals, minerals and archaeological finds.  The visiting hours vary seasonally, for specific timings check the website or call ahead.

Galerie Gema

Many well-established artists show their work here, including some with international reputations such as Jiri Kolar, Olbram Zoubek, Eva Kmentova. This was one of the earliest private galleries to spring up following the collapse of Communism in 1989. See their website for a list of up-coming events.

The House of the Black Madonna

There may not be any Picasso here, but you will find a small assortment of paintings, furniture and even coffee sets made during the height of the Cubist craze in the early twentieth century. One of the better-known artists in this school was Josef Capek, brother of the writer Karel Capek. Czech architects also adopted Cubism - the building itself, by Josef Gocar, is a good example of this. Notice the triangular projections above the windows which represent a way of expressing different angles of vision simultaneously.

The Postal Museum

This place is a boon for the philatelist. The emphasis here is on Czech and Czechoslovak stamps. However, stamps and other postal materials are also on sale. Temporary exhibitions are held upstairs. These may be of contemporary art or have a postal theme.

Stone Bell House

The Prague City Gallery uses this extraordinary Gothic palace as its prime site for temporary exhibitions. Past shows have featured Czech surrealism, Art brut, Joan Miro, German landscapes and a biennial of young Central European artists.

Galerie Nový Svět

Czech artists regularly show their work at this gallery located on a picturesque lane in the Hradcany district. A small selection of graphics, sculpture and books are also on sale. Interestingly, the astronomer Tycho Brahe lived two houses down from here.