Reconstruction of the museum in Litomyšl by Josef Pleskot

Photo: rml.cz

Litomyšl (Svitavy) - The Regional Museum in Litomyšl is expecting extensive reconstruction this year. It will close to the public on June 30, after which the relocation of inventory will begin. Construction is set to start in mid-August. The reopening of the museum is scheduled for spring 2014. This was reported today by the museum's director René Klimeš.
    "After the museum closes, there will be a large relocation of the building. Moving the museum is certainly not like moving a studio apartment, so it will be quite an interesting logistical challenge. We managed to relocate some items last year, some this year, but the biggest move is certainly ahead of us," said Klimeš.
    The Baroque building from the early 18th century is set to expand with an integrated entrance building featuring a foyer and social facilities. New exhibition and social spaces as well as facilities for presentation and educational events are to be created in the building. The project is designed by architect Josef Pleskot. The total cost of the project is 86 million crowns, with 74 million coming from the Regional Operational Program. A public tender for the contract has already been announced.
    During the reconstruction, the museum will not have any exhibition spaces of its own, only storage and office areas. Museum staff will collaborate with other cultural institutions in the city to organize exhibitions. They will also work on a new permanent exhibition for the renovated museum. According to Klimeš, this is intended to appeal to the widest possible audience, both in terms of age and education.
    The museum is now preparing for the massive relocation of tens of thousands of exhibits from the smallest, such as coins or postcards, to the heaviest, such as pianos or the lapidary. A large archive and library will also be relocated.
    The Litomyšl Museum was established in 1891 and was located in the premises of a former city secondary school. In 1926, it moved to the spacious Baroque building of the former Piarist Gymnasium, built between 1714 and 1718. The museum has been housed in this building ever since. Since the 1990s, the museum has also managed the birthplace of Bedřich Smetana. In 2004, the existing city museum was transformed into a regional museum for the Svitavy district, becoming a part of the Pardubice Region.