The exhibitions in the Historical Building of the National Museum offer a unique journey through both natural and human history—from the fascinating evolution of life and the world of prehistoric creatures to key moments in Czech history. Visitors can explore modern interactive displays, rare collection items, the impressive skeleton of a fin whale, and thousands of minerals from around the world. The tour also includes the magnificent Pantheon, one of the most beautiful historic halls in the Czech Republic. In addition, the multimedia exhibition Moments of History brings the events of the 20th century to life through the largest continuous projection of its kind in Europe. The Historical Building thus combines outstanding architectural heritage with the most modern forms of museum presentation. The Miracles of Evolution The new, modernly conceived natural science exhibition called The Miracles of Evolution tells captivating stories of evolution on an area of 2,000 m2 and presents the world of animals in a way you don’t normally see in museums – without any shelves and racks. Following a demanding renovation, one of the symbols of the National Museum can now be seen as well – the skeleton of a fin whale, which, together with 1,500 other exhibits, comes together in one of the most modern natural science expositions. Animals are presented here in their natural habitat and motion, and the unique and rare exhibits are complemented by brand new animal models, including a white shark, a minke whale, or the largest model of a giant squid in the world, which is 17 metres long. Windows into Prehistory In the long-term exhibition Windows into Prehistory, you can admire unique exhibits in four exhibition halls, which represent world milestones in the knowledge of the history of life on Earth, from the times of the Paleozoic to the Quaternary. Here you will get acquainted with the Paleozoic animals first described by Joachim Barrand or you will see the rare oldest terrestrial plant in the world, Cooksonia barrandei, which dates back to four hundred and thirty million years ago. You will also get to know some of the oldest known reptiles – for example the Mesozoic sea mosasaurs and you will look into the eyes of our only Czech dinosaur Burianosaur augustai or the scary-looking saber-toothed tiger. You will also find that our territory has witnessed volcanic activity and the formation of various lakes and swamps. At the very end of the exhibition, you will be greeted by a mammoth with a small life-size mammoth and you will see the original skeleton of a furry rhino, which, as you will find out, definitely does not want to stay closed only in the display case. History The History long-term exhibition depicts the history of the Czech lands from the 8th century until the First World War in a total of seven halls, and its cope and the number of collection items make it a unique museum project illustrating such a long period of time. The exhibition offers the opportunity to orientate oneself in Czech history and to understand not only the events as such, but also the overall context, and to form complete picture of our past. You will encounter a wide variety of exhibits, from the smallest pieces of medieval jewellery or small artefacts documenting people’s everyday lives to the largest item in the form of an 18th century archbishop’s carriage, which can be described with a little bit of exaggeration as the Ferrari of its time. Halls of Minerals This collection of minerals was one of the first collections to be donated to the newly established museum as early as 1818. The donor was none other than one of its main founders, Kašpar Count Šternberk and as the collecting of minerals was a passion among the nobility at that time, Šternberk’s example began to be followed by other donations creating the basis of today’s collection. The first mineralogical exposition was opened thanks to the important Czech mineralogist Prof. Karel Vrba on the 28th of September 1892. Vrba worked closely with the architect of the entire builing, Prof. Josef Schulz, and together they designed the type of display cases that can accommodate more than 4,000 minerals, which can be found in this room. The whole exposition is organized in the same way as it was more than 100 years ago. Pantheon of the National Museum The Pantheon of the National Museum is one of the most beautiful halls in the Czech Republic. The architect Josef Schulz (1890) ambitiously designed the architecturally sublime interior of the ceremonial hall. The interior of the Pantheon impresses not only with its overall architectural and artistic design, which includes the decoration of the walls and portals and tiles with a dynamic radial pattern, but also with a portrait gallery of busts and statues of personalities who contributed to the cultural and scientific life of Bohemia. The Pantheon houses a total of 54 bronze statues and busts and two portrait marble busts of the imperial couple, Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth of Bavaria (Antonín P. Wagner, 1891). The vaults are dedicated to the monumental lunettes by František Ženíšek – Přemysl Oráč’s Vocation to Rule, St. Methodius Finishing the Translation of the Holy Scriptures at Velehrad before his death in 885 (1903), Václav Brožík – Charles IV. establishes the University of Prague in 1348, and Jan Amos presents his didactic works to the city council of Amsterdam in 1657 (1898), and paintings in pendants by Vojtěch Hynais – Power and Progress, Inspiration, Art and Science (1899–1900). The glass painted dome of the Pantheon with the head of Bohemia in the middle was restored during the reconstruction of the museum (2015–2019) according to the original preserved documentation from the 19th century. From the beginning, the Pantheon Hall served not only for museum purposes, but also for ceremonial gatherings and meetings, and it was also a place where funerals were held and from which the funerals of outstanding personalities of the Czech nation, such as the statesman and second president of the Czechoslovakia Edvard Beneš, politician Karel Kramář, poet Alois Jirásek and writer Eliška Krásnohorská, were set off. People and Their Ancestors The National Museum has opened a new long-term exhibition titled People and Their Ancestors, taking you on a journey through millions of years of human history. This exhibition is not just about fossils – it tells the fascinating story of the entire human lineage, from the first hominins who descended from the trees to modern humans, whose way of life, diet, and social structures gradually evolved. You can admire a range of unique discoveries from Czech territory, along with exhibits of European significance. The World of Fungi, Lichens and Plants The new exhibition on the second floor of the Historical Building showcases the astonishing diversity of fungi, lichens, and plants from the Czech Republic and around the world — from microscopic life forms to trees, and from edible to poisonous mushrooms. Visitors will explore the taxonomic classification, life strategies, and the vital ecological and cultural roles these organisms play in our everyday lives. Rare herbarium specimens, scientific models, and interactive displays guide you through this quiet yet essential part of the natural world. Moments of History On 17. 11. 2019, the National Museum opens a singular multi-media exhibition in the connecting passageway, 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. It will also give a glimpse of the everyday life of this space. The second multimedia programme is dedicated to the architectural development of this place, from the 19th century to the present. This is a unique multimedia project which is unparalleled in Europe with regard to its technological and projection features.