Prague will contribute 52 million CZK for adjustments around the National Museum

Prague - Prague will contribute 52 million crowns for the modifications around the National Museum. The councilors made this decision today. The modifications will mainly concern the space between the historic building of the museum and the former Federal Assembly. According to Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO), the changes should be completed by October 28, when the museum is expected to open to visitors for the first time after reconstruction.

"I firmly believe that when the museum opens in the fall, the environment will be refined," Krnáčová stated. According to her, the museum will coordinate the modifications during the reconstruction.

Vinohradská Street is set to remain permanently passable only in the direction from Wilsonova Street, which will reduce traffic. The space between the old and new buildings of the museum will thus be more pedestrian-friendly. The current island at the crosswalk of the main road is also expected to disappear; instead, the entire area will be paved.

In addition, the city plans to make more long-term investments, such as those carried out by the public transport authority. Ultimately, a section of tracks is expected to be built parallel to Vinohradská Street, which will then connect to the planned tram line from Vinohrady to the Main Train Station.

Prague 1 has also previously prepared modifications to Čelakovského Sady, but plans have been postponed with regard to the planned calming of the main road around the museum. Prague is preparing these in collaboration with the studio of Danish urban planner Jan Gehl, but the council did not approve the modifications at the last meeting.

The historic building of the museum has been under reconstruction since 2015. All collections have been cleared from the building, leaving only the stuffed elephant and giraffe, as well as the skeleton of a whale, which would need to be disassembled. The total budget for the reconstruction is 2.34 billion crowns. The first section of the space is expected to open for the first time on October 28 in connection with an exhibition marking the hundredth anniversary of the republic. The entire reconstruction is to be completed next year.