A gigantic colossus: top thing to see in Prague
Of all the treasures in Czech museums worth writing about, one museum exhibit stands out in lots of ways. The enormous skeleton of a phantom of the oceans, the second largest cetacean alive today, is the main attraction in the collections of the National Museum in Prague.
The National Museum
And how did the skeleton of a fin whale get from the shores of Norway far inland to the heart of Europe in the late 19th century? When the female was spewed out by the sea in 1885, the locals offered the skeleton to various dealers selling natural curiosities across Europe.
The National Museum
It was eventually brought to Prague by a famous adventurer, who had seen the ad in the newspapers. He organised a fundraiser to buy it. The skeleton was then transported by train through Hamburg.
A feast in the middle of the whale
The whale has been attracting attention since 1888, when it was first exhibited in Prague in the museum on Bethlehem Square in the city centre. Before the skeleton was moved into its current home in the National Museum on Wenceslas Square, a farewell banquet was held in the whale.
Visitors to the National Museum, one of the must-see museums in Prague, can see the 22-metre colossus, which has been rejuvenated after more than 130 years, together with 1,500 unique objects in the Miracles of Evolution exhibition.
Places to see in Czechia
International Museum Day traditionally falls on 18 May. A number of institutions will be opening their doors free of charge. The day also sees the start of the Museum Nights Festival, which continues until 15 June 2024.
