Prague Museum of Decorative Arts

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, located in the Staré Město district, is one of the most important cultural centers in the Czech capital. Founded in 1885, the museum is housed in an imposing Neo-Renaissance building designed by architect Josef Schulz, built between 1897 and 1901. Its mission is to preserve, study, and present European applied and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the present day, with a particular emphasis on Czech production. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece. The facades are adorned with figurative sculptures representing various arts and crafts, works by artists such as Antonín Popp and Bohuslav Schnirch. Inside, the museum boasts richly decorated ceilings and spacious exhibition spaces that highlight the collections in an elegant and evocative manner. The collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts include approximately half a million objects, including glassware, ceramics, porcelain, furniture, wooden and metal objects, textiles, fashion, clocks, jewelry, and toys. One of its most appreciated sections is dedicated to glass and ceramics, which includes extraordinary pieces made by the best Czech craftsmen. Prague is famous for its tradition in glassmaking, and the museum exhibits some of the most beautiful and innovative creations, from medieval objects to contemporary masterpieces. Another strength of the museum is its extensive collection of furniture and furnishings, which offers a detailed look at the evolution of design and aesthetic taste through the centuries. Visitors can admire Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and modernist and contemporary furniture, with particular attention to Czech Cubism, a unique movement that had a great influence on local architecture and design. The House at the Black Madonna, one of the museum’s branches, hosts a permanent exhibition on Czech Cubism, featuring works by artists such as Pavel Janák, Josef Gočár, and Emil Filla. The Museum of Decorative Arts is also known for its collection of textiles and fashion, documenting the evolution of clothing and textile design. One of the most significant exhibitions in this area is dedicated to Prague fashion salons from 1900 to 1948, exploring the rise and fall of local fashion houses during a period of great social and political changes. The exhibition includes luxury clothing and accessories, vintage photographs, and footage illustrating fashion shows, offering a fascinating glimpse into Prague’s high society life. The museum also houses the largest specialized library in decorative arts in the Czech Republic, with approximately 172,000 volumes including art encyclopedias, artist dictionaries, and works on iconography, topography, and heraldry. This resource is valuable for researchers, students, and art enthusiasts, who can access a wide range of reference materials.