The National Museum is the largest museum in the Czech Republic, which covers a diverse range of disciplines - such as geology and other natural sciences, palaeontology, archaeology, history and prehistory. The museum’s exhibits are located in a number of buildings around Prague.
The Historical Building of the National Museum - a Renaissance-revival palace which tops Wenceslas Square - has recently been united with the nearby New Building into one National Museum Complex. The two venues are connected by an underground corridor with a unique multimedia exhibition, presenting highlights of the 20th-century history of Prague since the birth of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918.
Long-term exhibitions in the Historical Building
Windows into Prehistory - discover what life on the Bohemian territory looked like many millions of years ago. You will see 2,000 exhibits, from small fossilized trilobite larvae to giant ammonites and completely new life-size models of prehistoric animals.
The Miracles of Evolution – marvel at the world of animals in a way you don’t normally see in museums – without any shelves and racks, in their natural habitat and motion. Following a demanding renovation, the skeleton of a fin whale (one of the symbols of the National Museum) can now be seen as well.
Hall of Minerals - one of the first collections, which was donated to the newly established museum by the famous Bohemian scientist Kašpar Count Šternberk in 1818.
History – a guide through the history of the Czech lands from the 8th century until the First World War in a total of seven halls. You will encounter a wide variety of exhibits, from the smallest pieces of medieval jewellery or small artefacts documenting people's everyday lives to the largest item in the form of an 18th century archbishop’s carriage, which can be described with a little bit of exaggeration as the Ferrari of its time.
Besides, an essential part of the National Museum tour will be visiting the Cupola under the central dome, which offers a wonderful view of the city skyline.
