Prague's National Museum to display rare 'Lucy' skeleton for first time in Europe

The National Museum in Prague will showcase the 3.2-million-year-old fossil of Australopithecus afarensis, famously known as Lucy, marking the first time the original fossil will be publicly displayed in Europe, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced.

“This is an absolutely unique event, as the original fossil will be on public display for the first time in Europe,” Fiala told journalists.

The exhibit, set to open on Aug. 25, will also feature Selam, the fossilized skull and partial skeleton of a three-year-old Australopithecus afarensis, often referred to as "Lucy’s baby."

Selam is estimated to be 3.3 million years old. Both fossils were discovered in Ethiopia and will be on loan from the Ethiopian National Museum for 60 days, with the support of the Czech Ministry of Culture and the Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism.

“I think it will be a dream come true for many people to see the real Lucy. It's a unique thing,” Czech Culture Minister Martin Baxa said.

Ethiopian Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa highlighted the exhibit as an opportunity to boost Ethiopia’s visibility in the European tourism market.

“By showcasing the rich history, cultural treasures, and breathtaking landscapes of our country, we invite travelers from all over Europe to visit Ethiopia and experience the wonders of the land where mankind was born,” Kassa said.

Lucy was discovered in November 1974 by American paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson at Hadar in Ethiopia’s Awash Valley. The fossil was named after the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," which the excavation team frequently played at their campsite. Following its discovery, Lucy toured the U.S. for six years, captivating audiences worldwide.

Lucy, belongs to an extinct hominin species that lived 3.8–2.9 million years ago in present-day Ethiopia, stood about 106 cm tall and weighed 28 kg. Scientists determined her age by dating the volcanic rock layer where she was found. Around 40 percent of her skeleton was preserved, revealing features similar to both apes and early humans.

While Lucy's small brain and upper body resembled a chimpanzee's, her pelvis and leg bones indicate she walked upright. Her sex was identified through pelvic bone structure, and signs of maturity suggest she was an adult at 15–16 years old, as early hominins matured faster than modern humans.

The exhibit, one of the most valuable and oldest paleoanthropological exhibits in the world, will go on display as part of the new People exhibition in the Historical Building of the National Museum.

“Welcoming Lucy and Selam into their spaces is the dream of every museum in the world,” said Michal Lukes, director general of the National Museum in Prague. “Some of our planet’s most precious exhibits give us a unique glimpse into the past and allow us to better understand the roots of humanity.”

Prime Minister Fiala had the opportunity to view Lucy during a visit to the Ethiopian National Museum in Addis Ababa in November 2023.