The City in Time Exhibition

Five Halls, Five Experiences

You don't have to be a fan of history, architecture, archaeology, or other disciplines that don't mean much to most people. But that doesn't mean that these disciplines can't offer something interesting that's good to know. What's more, at the Museum of Prague, we add a little technology, originality, and perspective. Simply put, museums don't have to be boring... even if that's what people say.

Hall 1. Hope you’re not afraid of heights. No, seriously. No worries. In the first hall, you'll get a bird's eye view of 19th-century Prague. During the flight, you will see Charles Bridge and fly to the astronomical clock. And if you pay close attention, you will notice that Prague looked quite different back then than it does today on Google Maps.

Hall 2. Living pictures. What are they? Well, exactly what their name suggests. Something like live photos taken with a mobile phone. Except that they are from the 19th century and life size. Thanks to digital technology, you'll see a war veteran loitering on the riverbank, a caring nanny, a snobbish aristocrat, or a nun fascinated by candles.

Hall 3. Was this guy nuts? What would make you spend 11 years creating a model of a city?

To redraw in detail every window, door, and facade? Nothing? Fair enough. Antonín Langweil felt differently, and that's exactly what he started doing in 1826. The model has survived to these days, and when you look at it, you can only marvel and wonder what was going through his mind during those years.

Hall 4. A chat with Mr. Langweil. Here you can watch a film. A short one, no worries. It's all about why Mr. Langweil sacrificed those 11 years to such entertaining and exciting work. And what's the best part? Thanks to artificial intelligence, his animated portrait will come to life and talk to you.

Hall 5. Castaways from present days. Imagine that, thanks to some invention, you find yourself in the middle of the Vltava River, and both banks around you are changing over time (the space remains the same). What did today's Holešovice, Vyšehrad, or Smíchov look like in the 19th century? What about in the 20th century? You'll see. The good news is that even though you are actually standing in the middle of the Vltava River, you will manage to stay dry, so no need to bring your wellies.

A City Made of Paper and Patience

Langweil's model is unique in the world. It covers a total area of 20 m² and consists of more than 2,000 objects, which are both astonishing and fascinating for their accuracy. It took eleven years to create. How many kilometers did he walk around Prague, how many notes and sketches did he make? And how much frustration did he feel when something went wrong? Anyway, this is a model of 19th-century Prague. Half of the buildings no longer exist, and something completely different stands in their place. But the model is so detailed that architects and renovators look at it today when they restore historic buildings. The whole model looks like one big toy that you can just stare at and try to find familiar places. Well, you won't always find them. Prague has changed a lot since the 19th century. It's still a beautiful city, but this two-hundred-year-old paper city is pretty cool too.