Experts are resisting the abolition of the Museum of Memory of the 20th Century as a registered institution

Prague - Historians, experts, and representatives of the public are opposing the cancellation of the Prague Museum of Memory of the 20th Century as a registered institution. Senator and Prague council member Hana Kordová Marvanová (independent for Together) said today that some Prague councilors have begun to prepare for the museum's dissolution and that a change in its organization would threaten the institution's independence. Signatories of an open letter are asking council and municipal members not to allow the cancellation of the museum's political independence and to support the permanent exhibition at the House of Pages in Hradčany.

Deputy Mayor Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09) told ČTK that, in his view, the existence of the museum is not currently threatened and that the council will discuss funding for its operations in September. According to him, the city hall is also dealing with a tender for the renovation of the House of Pages and will be competing for the exhibition's design. "I see no danger that would threaten the museum," he said.

"Unfortunately, some councilors of the city of Prague unexpectedly began preparing for the cancellation of the Museum of Memory of the 20th Century in Prague as a registered institution from February of this year," Kordová Marvanová said today, who was involved in the museum's establishment and is chairwoman of the organization's board. "The museum was founded as a registered institution to have sufficient independence for fulfilling its goals of remembering historical memory, limiting political influences on its operation, ensuring participation of experts in its management, and enabling easier multi-source funding. The current government proposal for the law on public cultural institutions has the same goal," she said.

In June, the Prague council approved funding for the museum in the amount of ten million crowns, which, according to representatives of the institution, is not sufficient. The museum needs funding primarily for its activities, such as creating an exhibition in the House of Pages. According to the signatories, the actions of Prague's leadership indicate pressure for the institution's dissolution. Pospíšil disagrees. "I have no information that would indicate that the coalition wants to dissolve the museum. Everything will be resolved at the September council meeting, where an allocation of an additional 11 million crowns will be discussed, so the museum will have the same budget as last year," Pospíšil said.

The Museum of Memory of the 20th Century was established in 2019, at which time, according to Kordová Marvanová, its establishment as a registered institution had unanimous support from the Prague council. Now, according to her, representatives of political parties that supported the museum's establishment in 2019 are opposing it. This includes representatives of the Together coalition or the ANO movement, according to her. “So far, we are assured that the majority of the leadership in Prague supports the museum, so there is a chance that the museum will have both financial support, but that is not enough. We particularly emphasize that the museum was established to exist as a physical museum, which is why we sought to rent the House of Pages,” she said.

According to the deputy mayor, the city hall is looking for a builder to renovate the House of Pages. This also confirms to him that the city management does not intend to dissolve the museum. The renovation is expected to be approved by the city management at the turn of September and October. At the same time, a competition will be held in the autumn for the exhibition's design. "There is also money prepared in the budget for the exhibition, coincidentally also 11 million," Pospíšil said.

If the museum were no longer a registered institution, it would have to dissolve, according to the senator. Any potential contribution organization would have to be established from the beginning. She pointed out that the museum does not appear on the list of priorities of the city leadership.

"Unfortunately, I must state that after last year's municipal elections, the situation began to complicate, particularly since February of this year," Kordová Marvanová said. According to her, the council should decide in September whether it will continue to support the museum. It should also clarify what will happen with the reconstruction and the exhibition.

The main theme of the exhibition is to be Czechoslovakia and totalitarianism. According to architect Tomáš Hradečný, the House of Pages will be significantly enlivened by the new function it will receive, enriching even the space of the castle hill.

According to historian Petr Blažek, the museum, even without a permanent site, organizes exhibitions in collaboration with other institutions, such as the Kampa Museum, the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, or the Václav Havel Library.