Literature Museums
Museum of Czech Literature
Strahovské nádvoří 132/1, 118 00 Prague 1
www.pamatniknarodnihopisemnictvi.cz
The Museum of Czech Literature (MCL) houses collections which tell the story of literary development and book culture in the Czech lands, and illuminate the life, work and legacy of Czech literary personalities. Additionally, the museum boasts a remarkable collection of art objects¾mostly related to its featured authors. The MCL’s rich fonds contain items such as the original manuscript of Karel Čapek’s dystopian theatre play R.U.R., which first introduced the word ‘robot’ to the world.
Arts and Theatre Institute
Celetná 17, 110 00 Prague 1
The mission of the Arts and Theatre Institute (ATI) is to provide comprehensive services in the fields of theatre and other arts, such as music, literature, dance and the visual arts. The ATI collects, processes and makes its theatre-related collections accessible to public. The institute is engaged in scientific research and education, and cooperates in the preparation of external exhibition projects. The ATI participates in a number of international projects, supports the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space and is the Czech seat of the ‘Culture’ category of the European Union's Creative Europe programme.
Gallery of Fine Arts in Havlíčkův Brod
Havlickovo namesti 18, 580 01 Havlickuv Brod
The Gallery of Fine Arts in Havlíčkův Brod was founded in 1965. Within a new network of regional galleries, it was assigned a special focus: modern Czech book illustration, drawings and graphics. The specialization was selected with the tradition of East Bohemian publishing houses in mind. Also within the gallery’s legacy is it’s support of an art competition held annually during the National Festival of Humour and Satire “Haškova Lipnice”.
Moravian Library in Brno
Kounicova 65a, 601 87 Brno
The Moravian Library, whose history dates back to the 18th century, is the second largest library in the Czech Republic. It holds more than 4.5 million volumes including historic prints and maps, incunabula and medieval manuscripts. At present, the Moravian Library is a leading scientific institution, especially in the field of digitization and preservation of funds and collections. It participates in a number of important European research projects, including a service which allows 16th to 20th century books to be accessed online or reprinted for ease of access.
National Library of the Czech Republic – Department of Library Fund Protection
Clementinum 190, 110 00 Prague 1
The National Library of the Czech Republic has been dealing with the protection, conservation and restoration of library collections since 1950. From the beginning, the National Library has worked to develop a wide range of methods and procedures in the field of rare book conservation and restoration. The main activities of the Department of Library Fund Protection and its three sub departments include the restoration of rare written monuments and illuminated manuscripts, current modern prints and ensuring preventive protection during the handling, preparation, transport and installation of exhibitions. The department functions as a methodological centre for libraries across the Czech Republic.
The National Pedagogical Museum and Library of J. A. Comenius
Valdštejnská 161/20, 118 00 Prague 1
The National Pedagogical Museum was established in 1892 as a result of Czech teachers’ efforts to preserve and document historical traditions of Czech education, as well as the legacy of John Amos Comenius. In 2011, the Library of J. A. Comenius was added to the institution. Its rich collections consist of almost half a million volumes including books (especially textbooks), periodicals, audio documents, electronic documents and maps. From 2020 to 2022, the museum is coordinating the ‘National celebrations of anniversaries of John Amos Comenius,’ which includes the exciting ‘Comenius to Classrooms’ school competition.
Sladovna Písek
Velké náměstí 113, 397 01 Písek
The ‘Playful Gallery’ is a space where children and adults play and create together; where they learn from each other, and where it is possible to freely cross the border between their respective worlds. The work of lecturers in exhibitions is key for the gallery, which finds inspiration in the ‘school by play’ approach of J. A. Comenius. Four floors full of interactive permanent and temporary exhibitions offer inspiration, creativity, experiences and knowledge through play.
The J. A. Comenius Museum
Přemysla Otakara II. 37, 688 12 Uherský Brod
Situated in the town of Uherský Brod, the J. A. Comenius Museum was founded in 1898. It is mostly devoted to ‘comeniology,’ or the science of John Amos Comenius’s life and work. Born just outside of Uherský Brod in 1592, Comenius is nicknamed the ‘teacher of nations’ due to his international and pioneering pedagogical work. The J. A. Comenius Museum works closely with the Comenius Museum in Naarden, Netherlands, the town where Comenius is buried. Additionally, the museum provides illustrations of its regional history and organizes an international festival of museum films.
Postal Museum
Nové Mlýny 2, 110 00 Prague
The Postal Museum was the first museum established in the newly created state of Czechoslovakia. It was on December 18, 1918 that the first Czechoslovak postage stamps – the famous ‘Prague Castle’ stamps designed by Alphons Mucha – were issued. The Postal Museum Prague contains a vast collection of Czechoslovak, Czech and foreign stamps. The Postal Museum Vyšší Brod, located in a 13th century Cistercian monastery building, exhibits a collection of items from the history of Czech post office administration, including horse-drawn vehicles, letterboxes, signboards, uniforms and telecommunications technology.
