Opera Ballet and Concert Halls
The National Theatre (Národní divadlo)
The National Theatre, resides in an impressive neo-renaissance building, situated on the right bank of the Vltava river. It features three artistic ensembles – Drama, Opera and Ballet. The National theatre presents the mix of modern shows and classics to reach and appeal to a wide range of audiences across the globe.
The State Opera, located in the very centre, above the Wenceslas Square, was founded in 1888 as the New German Theatre. It was acknowledged as one of the grandest and most beautiful German theatres in Europe. An large elaborate auditorium with a gold glittering chandelier, red velvet curtain and some magnificent Neo-rococo decorations on the ceilings will enchant you and leave a lasting impression.
Smetana Hall, named in honour of Bedřich Smetana (famous Czech composer), is located in the Municipal House, a beautiful Art Nouveau building and a significant civil landmark. It houses the Prague Symphony Orchestra – FOK(1934, a leading Czech music ensemble, and numerous classical music concerts and festivals (Prague Proms, Prague Spring etc.).
Rudolfinum (1884) is a concert hall and an art gallery, which is located on the right bank of the Vltava river, at Jan Palach Square. This beautiful neo-renaissance building was designed by architect Josef Zítek and his student Josef Schulz. It was named after Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria and the patron of the project. Even though it was originally designed as an art gallery and House of Artists (Dům umělců).
Museums
Dating back to 1818 and with a massive collection of 14 million items, the National Museum is a must-see on your visit to Prague. The museum has six major departments, including the Department of Old Czech History (with artifacts dating back to the 10th century) and a very unique Department of Theater. the collections are currently being stored in the impressive New Building, which has a café and hosts a number of exhibitions. Additional buildings in the complex—including the fascinating collection of puppets at the Museum of Czech Puppets and Circus Acts, in Prachatice, South Bohemia—remain open, and are worth a visit.)
The Prague Jewish Museum has one of the largest collection of Judaic artifacts in the world. The museum’s collection includes everything from textiles to manuscripts to old photographs, but it’s perhaps most famous for chronicling the history of victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Film showings, events and concerts are also on throughout the year.
U Staré školy 141/1, 110 00 Praha 1-Staré Město, Czechia
The Czech Republic has seen the birth of many famous writers, but none is better known than Franz Kafka. Born and raised in Prague, Kafka left his mark everywhere in the city, and that’s particularly obvious at this small but awesome museum dedicated to his work. Before entering the building, pay attention to the famous sculpture titled Piss, by renowned Czech sculptor David Černý. Then step inside the museum to see Kafka’s original manuscripts, letters, photographs and diaries, along with some of the writer’s personal belongings.
Museum Kampa is located in Sova’s Mill in Lesser Town in the center of Prague. Museum Kampa has in its care an artistic the collection of Jan and Meda Mládek, who during their stay in exile in the second half of the 20th century actively supported the then Czechoslovak non-conformist artists. The collection contains the largest collection of works by one of the founders of modern abstract painting, František Kupka and works by other important artists of the 20th century from the so-called Eastern Block.
