- Address: 17. listopadu 2, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
- Phone: +420 778 543 900
- Website: upm.cz
If you wanted to see something interesting and unusual in the Czech Republic , you should look into the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts in Prague . You will see amazing collections of things and objects from ancient times to the middle of the 20th century. Exhibitions attract the amazing variety of exhibits, and the halls of the museum are never empty.
Description of sight
The Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts in Prague has been operating since 1895. The first exhibitions were held in the famous Rudolfinum . After 14 years, the construction of its own building was completed, and the museum moved to the first floor. The official opening of the incarnated project of architect Josef Schulze occurred in 1900.
Since 1906, the exposition has covered the second floor: a collection of glass was presented in the building - a gift from Dmitry Lann. During the Second World War, all the exhibits were removed and hidden by the underground resistance from the Museum of Decorative and Applied Art in Prague. Already in 1949 this institution was taken over by the state. Much later, the building was seriously reconstructed and all the premises were repaired, and the museum fund was significantly enlarged and increased.
What to see in the museum?
The collection of the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts in Prague is now extensive and is located in six thematic halls:
- The Voting Room is a collection of the main gifts of patrons and founders. These include ancient faience and exclusive samples of pottery from the peoples of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Moravia from the collection of Hugo Wavrechka, as well as the treasure of the castle of Karlstejn . Here is a miniature bronze bust of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
- Hall of textiles and fashion , which exhibits a collection of ancient tapestries, silk patterns and laces, Coptic fabrics, a collection of textiles of the XX century. Here you can see religious clothes and shoes for church attendants, fabrics and articles with gold and silver embroidery with pearl and bead decorations to cover altars and icons. In the same hall one of the stands is devoted to the fashionable salons of Prague and their history, which is represented by models, upholstered furniture and toys.
- The hall of measuring instruments and watches invites you to the world of various watch movements. The exhibition is an unimaginable number of watches of different types and models: floor, tower, table and wall, clock-paintings, watch-rings, watch-pendants, solar, sand, etc. Here you can admire interesting astronomical devices of the best European manufacturers.
- The hall of glass and ceramics acquaints us with the unbelievably beautiful side of everyday life: glass from Venice and Bohemia, porcelain and ceramics of different quality and age, stained glass and mirrors, tableware and much more. etc. In this hall, there are periodic competitions of glass blowers in the subtleties of ancient craftsmanship.
- The press room and photographs store a collection of old books and postcards, pencil drawings and author's photographs for the period from 1839 to 1950. There are also printed posters and written furniture: cabinets and shelves from libraries, counters and desks, chests of drawers, etc.
- The Treasure Hall stores jewelery made of gold, the famous Czech pomegranate, ivory, precious and semiprecious stones, cast iron, corals, non-ferrous metals and other materials. In this room are also exhibited interior and furniture, the decoration of which used ivory, enamel, precious stones and metals.
The museum itself is decorated with remarkable stained-glass windows, mosaics and curious sculptures.
How to get to the museum?
The easiest way to get to the Museum of Decorative and Applied Art in Prague is the metro . From the station Staromestska literally up to it only a couple of minutes walk. Near the building there is a bus stop of route number 207. The metro station can also be reached by trams Nos. 1, 2, 17, 18, 25 and 93.
The museum works all days, except Monday from 10:00 to 18:00. The cost of an adult ticket is € 4.7 and € 3 for children. There are also separate rates for temporary and permanent exposition, as well as benefits for pensioners, invalids and group visits.