World-class museum
After years, we finally decided to visit our most famous museum, drawn mainly by the Wonders of Evolution exhibition. Since we were already there, we didn't skip Czech Press Photo 2021 or the other exhibitions either. As on our previous visit when we went to see the mummies, electronic tickets made entry a breeze. You skip the entire queue of people trying to buy tickets and you're straight in. Drop your stuff at the cloakroom and off to the exhibition. We spent the whole day in the museum and it still wasn't enough.
The exhibition called Wonders of Evolution is fantastic! Same with Windows to Prehistory. Comparing it to similar exhibitions abroad (UK, US), I'd say it holds its own — and in some ways it's even ahead. The level of detail and the way the exhibits are presented is remarkable. Animals in motion, exhibits put in context. Not everything is behind glass, so you don't feel disconnected from the exhibition. Which, when you're standing right next to a mammoth or a large predator (something between a tiger and a bear), gives you a real sense of what our ancestors must have faced defending themselves against such a creature.
We thought Czech Press Photo would give us a breather — not a chance. Very powerful photographs on the topics of COVID and the South Moravia tornado left no room to breathe. The photos from the Olympics were equally striking. This year's edition is definitely worth seeing. You'll find plenty of interesting and powerful images there.
The Famous Czech Composers exhibition is rather unconventional in some ways. It takes a close look at the giants of Czech music (Smetana, Dvořák, Martinů and Janáček). Each one gets a very interactive section — with audio accompaniment, of course!
Personally, I really enjoyed the minerals exhibition. All sorts of shapes and colours, very photogenic. The more exotic the crystal shape or colour, the better. Greenish ore is genuinely beautiful, as are salt crystals in unusual colours — not just the usual white.
The National Museum isn't just one old building. In the new one (the former Federal Assembly) you'll find the history of the 20th century. It feels like they don't have much space there, and there's plenty to tell. Even so, it's put together in an interesting way — especially when you spot something among the exhibits that you actually have at home.
Go to the museum, it's worth it!