Náprstek Museum, Ethnographic museum in Old Town, Prague, Czech Republic
The Náprstek Museum occupies the former brewery and distillery compound U Halánků on Betlémské náměstí in Prague's Old Town, in a building erected from 1885 and first used for exhibitions in 1887. Its ethnographic holdings cover Asia, Africa and the Americas; the Asian collection makes up nearly half of the fund, and the Australia and Oceania display is on the second floor.
The museum was founded in the 19th century by Vojtěch Náprstek as a private collection that he built over many years. It later became part of the National Museum in Prague where it remains today as a public institution.
The collection displays everyday objects and artistic works from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, showing how people in distant lands lived and created. Walking through the rooms gives you a sense of the craftsmanship and traditions that shaped these different societies.
The museum occupies the former U Halánků brewery and distillery compound on Betlémské náměstí, with the permanent Cultures of Australia and Oceania exhibition on the second floor of the main building. Only a small part of the collection is on show, and displays change with temporary exhibitions and lectures. The library and study room serve researchers separately from the exhibition rooms.
The museum's library holds personal journals and notebooks from the founder documenting his travels and encounters with people from distant lands. These writings reveal how a Prague collector of the 19th century discovered and came to understand the wider world.
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