Czechia is having a major culture moment now – here's what to see, do, and explore

This week, a confluence of major museum reopenings, significant heritage restorations, socially relevant public art, and a record-breaking auction has put Czechia at the center of a cultural renaissance. Art and history buffs will want to keep these new openings firmly on their radar:

The Museum of Prague reopens with high-tech twist After five years of renovation, the main building of the Museum of Prague in Florenc reopens to the public this Saturday. The revitalized space aims to bring history alive, literally, through technology.

Highlights include a new immersive exhibition based on the famed 19th-century model of Prague by Langweil, a 22-meter projection hall, interactive displays, and an AI-powered multilingual guide. The first months will also feature free admission.

The Langweil Model is one of the most precious historical artifacts in Prague, offering a breathtakingly detailed look at the city before the 19th-century urban re-development.

Digital 3D model of Prague’s astronomical clock On Friday Dec. 5 at the Old Town Hall, visitors can explore the mechanism behind the landmark. The interactive exhibit features a touch panel that allows users to rotate and inspect components, showcasing parts of the clock dating back to before its 1865 repair. Prague City Tourism and the Cesnet association have completed a two-year digitization project, covering over 750 parts.

Art Nouveau masterpiece in Hradec Králové reopens. This Art Nouveau building of the East Bohemia Museum, a national cultural monument designed by architect Jan Kotěra, will reopen after a two-year closure and a renovation costing over CZK 100 million.

The refurbishment included repairing the facade, replacing windows, and restoring a fountain and seven-meter statues. New features include an expanded shop and a visitor circuit leading to a roof terrace with a view of the city.

The reopening features five new exhibitions including Nature from Depositories: Marking the 80th anniversary of the Natural History Museum with selections from its original collection.

Country's largest natural history museum announced The museum is simultaneously pursuing a much larger transformation. The former military building will house the museum's new, extensive natural history exhibition, the largest in the Czech Republic and comparable in scale to the celebrated Natural History Museum in Vienna. Planned public opening is from 2028.

National Museum honors women’s-rights pioneer on her 150th birthday The National Museum launched the exhibition Františka Plamínková and We to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Františka Plamínková (1875–1942), teacher, politician, influential women’s-rights activist, and victim of Nazi persecution.

The show, which includes her personal documents, photographs, and a marble bust, links past struggles for equality and democracy to the present Czech Republic. The exhibition runs through August 2026.

Plamínková is a foundational figure in Czech democratic history. Her activism in the interwar First Czechoslovak Republic is a powerful symbol of Czech civil society and resistance, making her story highly relevant in today's democratic discourse.

Sculptural installation on Smíchov embankment draws attention to displacement On the Smíchov waterfront, artist Čestmír Suška unveiled Abandoned Dwellings, a series of five cistern-based metal dwellings symbolizing refugee displacement and forced migration.

The installation blends public space, social reflection, and contemporary art and will remain in place until February 2026. Suška, a major figure in Czech sculpture, is known for transforming industrial waste into powerful, contemplative forms.

Rare 14th-century madonna returns to public view The National Gallery Prague displayed the recently restored medieval statue Madonna of Havrana, likely carved in Prague’s court circles around 1350. The Gothic work, attributed to the workshop of the Master of the Bečovská Madonna, had been out of public sight for years, making this re-opening a significant moment for Czech heritage art.

The Czech lands, especially Prague under Charles IV, were a central hub for European Gothic art. The restoration and display of such a work is crucial for maintaining the provenance of Bohemian art history and its status within the European Gothic tradition.

Mucha’s “Nature” sculpture fetches record price The bronze-and-malachite bust La Nature by Art Nouveau master Alfons Mucha (1860–1939) sold at auction for CZK 18.35 million this week, setting a new domestic record for the artist.

While this piece was publicly displayed at the auction house in Prague before the sale, its new, private owner has not announced plans for public access.

One of Mucha’s most iconic sculptures, other original versions of La Nature are on public display in major institutions, including the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the U.S.