Hradec Králové has reopened the Museum of East Bohemia after repairs

Hradec Králové - The city of Hradec Králové officially opened the Museum of Eastern Bohemia today after reconstruction and two years of closure. The renovation of the valuable Art Nouveau building, which belongs to the city and is a national cultural monument, cost 100 million crowns including VAT. Approximately 75 percent of the renovation will be financed by European subsidies, the city's spokesperson Kateřina Šmídová told ČTK.

During the reconstruction, builders repaired or replaced the original windows, stained glass, and cladding. The building has a new facade that corresponds in color to the original, and restorers treated the plaster and stucco surfaces. Experts restored the fountain, ramps, stairs, and renewed two seven-meter sculptures at the building's facade in front of the museum. A new visitor route leading to a rooftop terrace with a view of the city has been established. The museum shop has also been expanded and modernized.

The museum, designed by architect Jan Kotěra and built between 1909 and 1912, began its reconstruction last May. The start of the repairs was delayed by several months due to the repetition of the tender for selecting a construction company. The museum had been closed to the public since November 2017. The repair was contracted to a consortium of companies GEMA ART and Chládek a Tintěra.

Today, the museum commenced a new era after the renovation by opening five exhibitions. However, the museum is still lacking the actual exhibition space, which is expected to occupy two floors and be based on architectural elements of the city. The city has not yet found a company to create the exhibition for an estimated 15 million crowns.

The first tender for the exhibition received only one bid, but it was at a high price. The city canceled the tender. No companies applied for the second tender. Therefore, in recent weeks, the city has approached so-called preliminary market consultations with potential suppliers. "Their responses are currently being evaluated. A third tender could be announced at the turn of the year," Šmídová said.

The main exhibition opened today, titled Around Hradec or Hradečáci on Bikes, focuses on cycling in Hradec Králové. "Visitors can look forward to not only unique velocipedes invented throughout the history of the bicycle but especially to the period of the First Republic, when the bicycle became an inseparable part of almost every Hradec family," stated museum spokesperson Veronika Hepnarová.

The Velvet Revolution of 1989 in Hradec Králové will be commemorated with the exhibition WHO, if not us, WHEN, if not now. The exhibition Secrets of the Bird Axe will present a recently discovered silver-decorated battle axe from the 9th century. The exhibition Nature from the Depositories will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Natural Science Museum of the Agricultural Institute in Hradec Králové. The last, fifth exhibition will showcase the resistance in the Hradec Králové region during World War II.

The Art Nouveau museum building is among the most significant structures in Hradec Králové and has been a national cultural monument since 1995. The Hradec Králové city hall had already invested in the museum's renovations in the past; for example, in May 2002, the museum reopened after a three-year repair costing more than 70 million crowns. Two years later, restorers repaired two ceramic sculptures for two million crowns.