The National Museum of Prague is the largest and oldest museum in the Czech capital, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the city. It attracts people both with its extensive collection and the external appearance of the building.

This magnificent architectural monument, 70 meters high and almost 100 meters long, was built in Wenceslas Square in 1890. The grandiose neo-Renaissance project was created by the Czech architect Josef Schulz. The main facade was decorated with allegorical sculptures: the figure of a young girl symbolizes the Vltava River, an old man – the Elbe River, and others – the lands of Moravia and Silesia. The tympanum was adorned with the patroness of science and art Bohemia.

The interior was painted by the talented artist Bohuslav Dvorak. Another artwork was erected in front of the museum entrance at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a giant equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas, created by one of the greatest sculptors of the 19th century, Josef Vaclav Myslbek.

The museum had been founded a few years before the building was constructed in 1818. Back then, there was a real cult of ancient culture, excavations were carried out everywhere, and the number of patrons and passionate collectors grew. The patron of the national museum was the Czech botanist and geologist Kaspar Maria von Sternberg. His private collection formed the basis of the collection of the National Museum.

Today, the museum has several permanent exhibitions dedicated to paleontology, anthropology, history, and geology. Millions of the most valuable exhibits that spent years in private collections are now available for everyone. Amazing paintings, sculptural compositions, and ancient artifacts tell visitors the history and culture of the Czech Republic and other countries. Part of the museum is occupied by the collection of the traveler and philanthropist Vojtech Naprstek, dedicated to Asia and Africa. Moreover, the museum houses an impressive old library with a million volumes and 8,000 original manuscripts from different historical periods.