Prague - Night at the Museum

         Prague National Museum June 20,2009

Back in 2007, a friend of mine asked me to give him a tour of Prague and the first place he mentioned was the museum. Thing is at that time I knew where the National Museum was - at Wenceslas Square (Václavské Náměstí in Czech) and there is a metro stop right there, the intersection stop between the red and green lines called 'Muzeum'. 

I had met people in front of the museum, walked around the museum, was told to go there but still never actually went in.

Not until June 20, 2009 - Prague Museum Night. The one night in the year when the museum is open to public from 7pm to 1am - free entry. The date varies though, but from what I know its always a Saturday night in June. The website for Prague Museum night is http://www.prazskamuzejninoc.cz/ 

The first Monday of every month also has free entry from 10am to 6pm. Usually the museum is open everyday from 10am to 6pm (except the first Tuesday of the month when its closed). The basic entry fee is 150CZK. The official website for the Prague Museum is http://www.nm.cz/

OK, so I could have gone there any other day, just that Prague Museum Night sounded more appealing and there are even other performances at the museum during museum night.

The inside of the museum is beautiful,  big and fully stalked with exhibits in mineralogy, paleontology, mycology, botany, entomology, zoology, anthropology and archeology.

 

I took a number of pictures there, however, what I really want to write about are the things that actually mean something to me. In no actual order but starting with....

1. The Hedgehog

I first saw one of these near the hostel I'm staying at. For a long time I didn't know what it was. To me it looked like a big rat with spikes. Until a friend told me it was a hedgehog (ježek in Czech). The only hedgehog I ever knew was Sonic and Sonic the hedgehog is blue and walks on two legs.

2.  Bunny Rabbits

What can I say, I will always love my very first pet. From the day we first met, I knew it was the start of a beautiful friendship. We have kept lots of other rabbits since my first but... I will always miss Frisky. 

3. Amethyst

The museum had this great exhibit on rocks and minerals. My dad is a Geologist and I have a thing for gem stones. I don't really fancy jewelry except bracelets, I actually like the natural rock. My favorite being amethyst. Apart from being this really pretty purple color - the darker the purple the more precious, its also believed to have healing powers.

4. The Swan

Isabella Swan (Twilight), Miss Swan (Mad TV), The Trumpet of the Swan, Swan Lake.. the bird it self is one of my most favorite. The star of one of my favorite fairy tales, 'The Ugly Duckling'.

5. Cars

Well, this is more my little brothers obsession. I'm a terrible driver. I think sports cars are cute but I'm more of a SUV/4x4 person.

6. Clothes

Now, this is more my current obsession. Actually, my dressing is casual, I just like making clothes. This outfit in particular is a Czech folk costume. 

7. Fossils

 

The fossil on the left is of an extinct plant called Dammarites albens. I think its coniferous, because it looks like a pine cone to me. Pine cones remind me of the tree next to our old house and Christmas time - at a place I used to call home. I don't know the name of the fish but it sure does resemble a dry fish I ate once in my home country. I will write about those places later.

 

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 So that was the Prague National Museum and a bit about the exhibits that were there the time I went. Definitely worth taking a look!!!