ICMAH – International Committee for Museums and Collections of Archaeology and History
Venue: National Museum, New Building (Národní muzeum, Nová budova)
Date: 25 August 2022
The Historical Evolution of The European Territory
ON-SITE ONLY FORMAT
The National Museum (Národní Muzeum) in Prague occupies two magnificent, adjacent buildings at the top of Wenceslas Square. The main building, the Historical Building is set in a commanding position at the top of the square. It is the oldest and largest museum in the Czech Republic, a monumental neo-Renaissance structure as an architectural symbol of the Czech National Revival. The New Building is an equally imposing, iconic structure, but with a different architectural style. ICOM ICMAH The International Committee for Museums and Collections of Archaeology and History Offsite Meeting is designed to provide our members a new experience about The Historical Evolution of The European Territory through a journey within the National Museum of Prague.
The meeting will start with a welcoming speech by the National Museum Staff. Next, to a guided tour going through the long-term exhibition. Starting with Windows into prehistory, which will allow our members to discover what life in the european territory looked like many millions of years ago displayed through 2,000 exhibits, from small fossilized trilobite larvae to giant ammonites and completely new life-size models of prehistoric animals. Then, to visit one of the most modern natural history exhibitions in Europe, the skeleton of a fin whale, and other 1,500 unique objects in The Miracles of Evolution Exhibition. After that, to the Hall of Minerals, Minerals from the collections of the National Museum are again exhibited in the original historical display cases. Before the end of morning tour, as a part of ICMAH Scientific Program, Posters Presentation about The Interpretation of Nations’ History within Historical and Archaeological Museums will be held in the New Building of the National Museum, which will be followed by the lunch break again in the Historical Building.
In the afternoon, another guided tour will start again from the Historical Building to the New Building of the National Museum through an underground connecting corridor between the two buildings of the National Museum. Along the corridor, the visitors will be going through Moments of History Exhibition, where a continuously rolling film is projected onto the sides of the corridor, which is dedicated to the tumultuous events of the 20th century that took place in Wenceslas Square, from the foundation of Czechoslovakia to the turn of the millennium. The second multimedia programme is dedicated to the architectural development of this place, from the 19th century to the present. Afterward, History of the 20th century exhibition starts, which tells the story of Czech modern history from the First World War to the Czech Republic’s accession to the European Union.
Following the guided tour in the National museum, ICOM ICMAH Offsite Meeting will be ended with a free tour over Charles Bridge, the oldest bridge still standing over the Vltava river in Prague and the second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic, and considered as a part of the Royal Route
