National Museum Prague 2025: Record Visitors Thanks to Lucy, Selam and Genghis Khan

The National Museum in Prague recorded a visitor record in 2025: a total of around 1.4 million visitors – roughly 145,000 more than the previous year. Highlights included the original fossils of Lucy and Selam, as well as the special exhibitions Genghis Khan and 100 Treasures, 100 Stories.

In total, 1,379,068 people visited the museum’s exhibitions and permanent displays – 144,603 more than the year before. The presentations of the original fossils of Lucy and Selam, along with the special exhibitions Genghis Khan and 100 Treasures, 100 Stories, proved to be a major draw.

For 2026, the National Museum has prepared an attractive exhibition programme under the thematic guideline “History and Personalities”. All the main exhibitions of the year are designed to allow visitors to experience historical developments both through the perspective of significant personalities and key eras. The programme is aimed at both domestic and international audiences and is complemented by numerous educational offerings for schools. After a year with a focus on themes from around the world, the museum will return in 2026 to national topics: the history, culture and society of the Czech Republic. These will, however, be placed in a broader European and international context to remain accessible and appealing to all visitor groups.

Foto: Národní muzeum Praha

“We are very pleased that the National Museum was able to maintain public interest in 2025 and that visitor numbers once again reached record levels. This confirms that our exhibitions, displays and accompanying programmes appeal to a wide audience. In 2026, we are building on this success with a programme that presents national topics in a European and international context, and we will continue developing modern technologies and digital tools that make our collections accessible in new and understandable ways,” says Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National Museum.

Highlights 2026

The central project of the year will be the special exhibition Přemyslids, created in cooperation with the administration of Prague Castle. It is dedicated to the early Czech rulers and will open in April in the Historical Building of the National Museum. Visitors will be able to experience the founding dynasty of the Czech state and its role in politics, culture and identity through numerous original objects from domestic and international loans.

Foto: Mourning Jewelry Přemysl Otakar II., 1297

In the spring, an exhibition on František Palacký, the “Father of the Nation”, will follow. This presents the historian, politician and writer not as a textbook figure, but as an inspiring individual with extraordinary perseverance and energy. The aim is to make Palacký’s legacy tangible for younger generations.

Traditionally, the New Building of the National Museum will display from May to November the photographs of the 31st Czech Press Photo competition, documenting the most important events of the past year.

Digital Offerings Significantly Expanded in 2025

In 2025, the National Museum significantly expanded its digital offerings: visitors can experience augmented reality projects via the National Museum in Your Pocket app (Muzeum v kapse), the audiovisual installation Pantheon: Living Roots with an extensive encyclopaedia, and the interactive project Memory of the Future in the dome of the Historical Building. For 2026, further technological innovations are planned, including increased use of artificial intelligence.

National Museum Prague (Národní muzeum)
Václavské nám. 68, 110 00 Nové Město
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