Things to do in Czech Republic, Czech Republic: The Best Natural History Museums

The Museum of Bohemian Paradise was founded in 1886 as a regional museum; however, since the 1930s, it has specialised in precious stones and their processing (stone-cutting),which is a typical craft throughout the region. Here you can find a geology and mineralogy exhibition that will take you to the colourful world of minerals; examples of cut and engraved stones will show you the technology of stone processing and you will also be able to see historical jewels, followed by those that were created at international jewellers´ symposia. The underground Treasury features an historic collection of jewels, collected over time by the Turnov School of Applied Arts. We have also new expositions: Mountaineering, Gem Cutter's House, Luminescence.

Among the largest sets are the collections of natural science, which originate as early as at the end of the 19th century. They contain numerous and significant files documenting in particular the nature of North-Western Bohemia, Bohemian Central Uplands and the Ore Mountains. There are thousands of geological specimens of minerals, rocks, and paleontological recordsIn conjunction with building development in the historical centre of Usti nad Labem in the recent decades the archaeological collections have grown as well. The historical collections contain for example tens of thousands of photographs, negatives, lantern slides or postcards. Fine arts and handicrafts are represented by historical furniture, glass, collection of late Gothic xylography or landscape painting of the 19th and 20th century. The number as well as the quality of the collections has the Municipal Museum of Usti nad Labem among the most significant regional museum institutions in the Czech Republic.

The first museum in Ostrava was established already in 1872. It was founded by a teacher, cultural worker and collector Karel Jaromír Bukovanský in Silesian Ostrava. Is situated in one of the oldest buildings in Ostrava, in the former City Hall at the Masaryk’s square. During the reconstruction in 2005 a new carillon was installed, which consists of 22 bells weighing from 5 to 220 kg. The largest and heaviest bell weighs 234 kg and has the inscription Urbs in mótu (City in Motion). The carillon plays melodies typical of Ostrava. The museum focuses on the history of Ostrava and the social, scientific and natural conditions of the Ostrava region. Unique exhibits include Mašek's room astronomical clock from the beginning of the 20th century, an orchestration made by Jan Klepetář or Šusta's paleontological collection of carbon.

The new building of the National Museum was obtained by the National Museum in the year 2006 and on the 1st of June 2009 the National Museum has taken over this building from the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The building has a very interesting history because it served at first as the Prague Stock Exchange (1938 to the arrival of the occupational forces), then as the parliament (1946–1992), radio studio (1995–2009) and at present it is has the function of a museum.