Instead of fireworks, Prague will celebrate New Year's Day with videomapping at the National Museum

The videomapping for New Year’s Day will be at the historical building of the National Museum. Prague City Hall previously announced that it would stage a videomapping instead of the traditional fireworks, but did not specify the location.

The cost of the videomapping, which will take place three times on January 1, 2020, will be comparable to previous fireworks displays. “We will screen a pictorial story accompanied by music from 6 pm, 7 pm and 8 pm. The theme will be Prague as a modern, life-friendly city,” City Councilor Hana Třeštíková (Praha sobě) said, according to Czech Television.

The fireworks show
on Jan. 1, 2019, show cost 1.7 million CZK and lasted 11 minutes.

The city switched to a videomapping due to complaints from city residents that the noise from the fireworks stressed pets and caused death and injury to wild birds. Options such as silent fireworks or a drone show were also considered.

The city’s official Twitter feed also said it was a positive move: “Prague will see a change for the new year. Instead of New Year’s fireworks, people can look forward to a videomapping. This decision by the city leadership is a step not only for the inhabitants of the metropolis, but also for nature,” City Hall tweeted.

A petition last January opposing future fireworks shows had some 15,000 signatures. But public reaction has been mixed, with many people saying the city is overreacting and taking the fun out of the holiday.