Czech name: Národní muzeum
The National Museum will top your most memorable moments when Prague sightseeing. Besides discovering more than 14 million pieces within the exhibitions and collections at the Prague museum, there is a fantastic view from the rooftop overlooking our beautiful city of Prague. Equally awing is the stunning, historic building, especially when illuminated at nightfall – a perfect backdrop for a romantic stroll.
Location & How to Get there
Dominating at the head of the famous Wenceslas Square, the National Museum is easy to find. The address is Václavské náměstí 68, Nové město, Prague
To get there by the public transport you can take the lines A or C to Muzeum station or the lines A or B to Můstek and walk up through the Wenceslas Square for 5 to 10 minutes.
You can also take a tram number 3, 5, 6 or 9 to Václavské náměstí tram station and walk up through the Wenceslas Square for 3 to 5 minutes.
Opening Hours & Entry
The Museum offers free admission for children up to 15 years of age. For adult admissions, take advantage of the 9 Prague National Museums for 5 Days ticket at 200 CZK. Reduced (senior citizens over the age of 65, holders of ISIC or ITIC cards, juveniles 15-18 years old) ticket is for 130 CZK.
This entrance fee includes:
Historical Building of the National Museum
New Building of the National Museum
Náprstek Museum
Ethnographic Museum of the National Museum
National Memorial of the Vitkov Hill
Lapidárium of the National Museum
Czech Museum of Music
Antonín Dvořák Museum
Bedřich Smetana Museum
The ticket allows for one tour per museum within the five days. Alternatively, each museum has a separate entrance fee of 40 – 250 CZK for a single visit. Operating hours are Monday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
What to Do & What to See
Being the Czech Republic’s largest museum, the Prague museum includes five specialized institutes. The complex is home to the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Historical Museum, the Library of the National Museum, the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures, and the Czech Museum of Music. In 2009, the state assigned a new building to the complex. The plans included a permanent exhibition of the History of the 20th Century.
Throughout our beloved city of Prague, the Czech Republic’s capital, you will find architecture styles in Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic, and Art Nouveau. Prague is known for a multitude of castles and chateaus, especially the ancient Prague Castle. In your Prague sightseeing, do include the Charles Bridge. Donning 30 grand statues of the saints and 16 valiant arches, it crosses over the Vltava River. Historically, it was a vital part of the trade between Eastern and Western Europe.
On your visit to these and many other wondrous attractions, don’t miss our beautiful expression of Czech history, artistry, and architectural heritage. From a settlement in Vyšehrad to this great Czech Republic, the National Museum honors all facets of our country and our people. A favorite showing in the museum is the Velvet Revolution exhibition. Here you will be immersed in the celebration of freedom from a 41-year dictatorship. Everyone walks away more uplifted than when they arrived. You will be awed at the majestic staircase that leads to the impressive Pantheon, which houses many busts and statues of Czech artists, writers, and scholars. Be sure to walk the underground corridor into the New Building. Along the length of the tunnel, an animated light show revealing past to present Prague is remarkable.
History
Originally named the Patriotic museum of Bohemia, the Prague museum was founded in 1818 by Kašpar Maria Šternberg, a paleontologist. Designed by Czech architect Josef Schultz, the astonishing Neo-Renaissance central building was inaugurated in 1891. The museum has held its current name since 1922. The ownership of the National Museum passed from the Society for the Patriotic Museum in Bohemia to the Czech country in 1934. In 1949 it passed to state ownership. The prized building endured damage from some military attacks throughout history and during the metro A-line construction. There had not been any considerable repairs to date, so a vital reconstruction began in 2011. After an eight-year restoration back to its breathtaking glory, the National Museum of Prague re-opened on October 28, 2018, the Czechoslovak Republic’s 100th anniversary.