Prague Museums

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Aeronautical Museum (Letecké Muzeum)

Letiště Kbely, Praha 9, Tel: +420 220 204 913, Website: www.militarymuseum.cz, Metro: Českomoravská then bus 185, 278 to Letecké muzeum, Open: 1 May-31 Oct 10am-6pm, Tue-Sun, closed Monday
The Kbely aerodrome is home to a fascinating museum of aviation, with exhibits both undercover (arranged in four hangars) and outside on taxiways. Each hanger houses a particular period - Hanger A - pre 1939 aircraft, Hanger B - Second World War aircraft, Hanger C - Czech aircraft since 1945 and Hanger D - sport/acrobatic craft. Particularly notable are the Spitfire, ME 262, Jak 23, Northrop Tiger and Phantom Mk II. A number of MiG fighter jets also contribute to this fine exhibition.

City Transport Museum (Muzeum mĕstské hromadné dopravy)

Patočkova 4, Praha 6, Střešovice, Tel: +420 233 322 432, Metro: Hradčanská then Tram 1, 8, 18, Open: Sat, Sun and holidays 9am-5pm (Apr-Nov), by appointment only in winter months
Very much a favourite with kids, the Transport Museum at Střešovice has a large, permanent collection of buses and trams dating from 1886 to the present day. What's more they're all immaculately polished, while some allow for children to climb aboard.

Dvořák Museum (Muzeum Antonína Dvořáka)

Villa Amerika, Ke Karlovu 20, Praha 2, Nové Město, Tel: +420 224 923 363, Website: www.nm.cz/mad, E-mail: a.dvorak.museum@nm.cz, , Metro:
I P Pavlova/Tram 4, 6, 16 to I P Pavlova, Open: 1 Jan-31 Dec, 10am-5pm, Tue-Sun, closed Mondays
Celebrating the life and achievements of one of the Czech Republic's most famous sons Antonín Dvořák, the museum is set in a beautiful Baroque summer house dating from 1720. Designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, and now known as the Villa Amerika, it houses memorabilia about the famous composer - who lived between 1841 and 1904 - including documents detailing his time spent in the United States.

Lapidárium

Výstaviště-pavilion No. 422, Praha 7, Holešvice, Website: www.nm.cz, Metro: Nádraží Holešvice then Tram 12, Open: noon-6pm Tue-Fri, Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
An interesting collection of over 400 Bohemian sculptures - dating from the 11th to 19th centuries - that have, over the years, been replaced either by copies, or saved from destruction and pollution. Taken from all over Prague, they include original statues from the Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square's Marion Column. Located in the Prague Pavilion of the city's exhibition ground (Výstaviště).

Military Museum (Vojenské historické muzeum)

Schwarzenberský palác, Hradčanské náměsti 2, Praha 1, Hradčany, Tel: +420 220 202 020, Website: www.militarymuseum.cz, Metro: Malostranská/Tram 12, 18, 22, 23, Open: 10am-6pm Tue-Sat, closed Sun/Mon
A wide-ranging exhibition of Czech military history dating from the 13th century to World War I. Housed in part of Hradčany's Renaissance Schwarzenberg Palace, exhibits include lots (and we do mean lots) of toy soldiers, together with uniforms, weapons and background on various Czech campaigns and military strategies.

Mucha Museum (Muchovo Muzeum)

Kaunický palác, Panská 7, Praha 1, Nové Město, Tel: +420 221 451 333, Fax: +420 221 451 335, Website: www.mucha.cz, E-mail: museum@mucha.cz, Metro: Můstek/Tram 3, 9, 14, 24, Open: 1 Jan-31 Dec, 10am-6pm
This museum is dedicated to perhaps the most well-known and admired Czech artist Alfons Mucha (1860-1939). Mucha, who was part of the Art Noveau movement, became a leading exponent of the visual arts field in Prague and you can see examples of his work in the Obecní Dům (Municipal House) and St. Vitus's Cathedral. Most famously known for the posters created for Sarah Bernhardt, Mucha also diversified into other art genres, most notably designing a number of stamps for the first Czechslovak Republic. Exhibits here include paintings, drawings and lithographs by the artist as well as personal effects.

Museum of Communism (Muzeum komunismu)

Palac Savarin, Na Přikopě 10, Praha 1, Staré Město, Tel: +420 224 212 966, Website: www.muzeumkomunismu.cz, Metro: Náměstí Republiky/Můstek, Open: 9am-10pm daily
Arranged into three permanent displays: Dreams, Reality and Nightmare, this museum attempts to shed light on the workings of Czechoslovakia's post-war Communist regime (including the use of propaganda, censorship and interrogation), whilst also showing what everyday life was like for Prague's citizens from 1945-1989. Displaying a hotchpotch of items - including everything from school text books to border machine guns - it paints an interesting, albeit superficial picture of the era - arguably providing more questions, than it does answers. Likely to appeal to tourists rather than locals, the museum is wedged between a McDonalds restaurant and casino (oh the irony) and lies just off Wenceslas Square.

Museum of Decorative Arts (Umĕleckoprůmyslové museum v Praze)

ulice 17. listopadu 2, Praha 1, Staré Město, Tel: +420 251 093 111, Fax: +420 224 811 666, Website: www.upm.cz, E-mail: info@upm.cz, Metro: Staroměstská/Tram 17, 18 to Staroměstská, Open: 1 Jan-31 Dec 10am-6pm, Tue-Sun, closed Monday, Free with Matilda card
The museum has an extensive collection of decorative glass (for which, of course, Bohemia has a world famous reputation), ceramics, textiles, furniture and fashion.

Náprstek Museum of Native American, Asian and African Culture (Náprstkovo Muzeum Asijských, Afrických A Amerických Kultur)

Betlémské náměstí 1, Praha 1, Staré Město, Tel: +420 224 497 500, Fax: +420 224 497 511, Website: www.aconet.cz, E-mail: npm@aconet.cz, Metro: Národní třída/Můstek, Tram: 6, 9 17, 18, 22, 23, Open: 9am-noon and 12.45pm-5.30pm Tue-Sun, closed Monday, Free with Matilda card
The Náprstek Museum forms a branch of the National Museum and contains exhibitions on North African prehistory, Ethnography and Ancient Egypt, as well as Native American and Inuit culture. The museum is named after its founder, Vojta Náprstek, who sought to put items brought back by two Czech explorers Emil Holub and Antonín Stecker on public display (with these items forming the basis of the collection that can be seen today).

Národni Muzeum (National Museum)

Václavské nám. 68, Praha 1, Staré Město, Tel: +420 224 497 111, Website: www.nm.cz, Metro: Muzeum, Open: 1 May-30 Sep 10am-6pm, Mon-Sun, 1 Oct-30 Apr, 9am-5pm, Free with Matilda card
The Národni Muzeum, which looms large over the eastern end of Wenceslas Square, is home to a comprehensive, but gloomy collection of stuffed animals, coins, medals, minerals, bones and fossils. Indeed, with the exception of some fascinating temporary exhibits, the most interesting aspect of a visit here is the building itself.

Founded by Count Kašper Šternberg in 1818, this neo-Renaissance structure dates back to 1884, when Josef Schulz's design won the competition for a larger, more fitting National Museum. The façade, supported by Corinthian columns and topped by allegorical statues on the balustrade are set off by a gilded central dome - the building's most prominent feature.

Inside, the stunning main staircase - combining green, white and cream marble - is a truly beautiful affair and provides access to exhibitions on the 1st and 2nd floors. Of particular interest is the richly decorated Pantheon, built between 1885 and 1890. Boasting sumptuous stucco relief work and an ornate marble floor, it also features wall paintings by some of the most revered artists of the age, namely Václav Brožík and Vojtěch Hynais.