The 5 best exhibitions in Prague this summer

Naturally, we’ve been dreaming of spending the summer hanging out with UNYP friends at Naplavka, meditating in beautiful parks and public gardens, and gliding down the clear Vltava on a swan-shaped paddle boat. In reality, we all know that sometimes it’s far too hot for outdoor activities, and it’s good to have a few plans that involve a roof over your head. No matter how glorious the weather, don’t miss what’s going on in the museums and galleries of Prague this summer. We’ve put together some recommendations for exhibitions of international and local artists that will please both full-time UNYPers and visiting Study Abroad students.  

UNYP’s selection of the museums and galleries with don’t-miss exhibitions this summer in Prague. ​

1. 1989: Fall of the Iron Curtain

When: 31. 5. 2019 – 30. 11. 2019

Where: Queen Anne’s Summer Palace (Letohrádek královny Anny)

Free admission 

A new exhibition in the Summer Palace will celebrate the fall of the Iron Curtain, the event that brought new beginnings and the development of democracy to the countries of the former eastern bloc. The show will include documentary work from almost 70 Czech, Slovak and foreign photographers. 

2. MEDA – Ambassador of Art

When: 24. 6. 2019 – 30. 9. 2019

Where: Museum KAMPA

Student entrance fee: 90CZK 

Meda Mládek is a force to be reckoned with — not only as a supporter and promoter of the arts but also as a collector and curator of one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Central European Modern art. To celebrate her 100th birthday, Museum Kampa will host the Czech Republic’s first-ever retrospective on her extensive collection, which will combine art, architecture, fashion, and design. During the time that Meda spent in the USA, her home in Washington became a meeting place for Czechoslovak émigrés, and she became a patron of many Czechoslovak artists. 

3. Impressionism from Dawn till Dusk. Slovenian Art 1870–1930

When: 17. 5. 2019 – 16. 9. 2019

Where: Prague Castle – Prague Castle Riding School (Jízdárna Pražského hradu)

Student entrance fee: 80CZK 

If you haven’t yet had the chance to visit Ljubliana, you can start exploring the cultural heritage of Slovenia right here in Prague. The exhibition of Slovenian Impressionism is dedicated to the crucial period from 1870 to 1930 and features more than 450 artifacts. This show is a significant collaboration between the Office of the President of the Czech Republic, the Prague Castle Administration and the National Gallery of Slovenia.

4. ART-BRUT-ALL

When: 28. 6. 2019 –  9. 9. 2019

Where: DOX Gallery

Student entrance fee: 90CZK 

The exhibition features pieces across a wide range of mediums, including image, photography, printmaking, and installation. The show will showcase works influenced or inspired by the Metal culture, which uses very theatrical visual language to produce an impression that can be macho, feminist, or pathetic, but is almost always aggressive.  

5. French Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard Collection

When: 28. 6. 2019 – 20. 10. 2019

Where: National Gallery Prague – Kinský Palace (Národní Galerie Praha – palác Kinských)

Student entrance fee: 150CZK 

This summer, you can become an expert on the French Impressionists! Sixty works by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, and many other world-famous French masters have been brought to the National Gallery from the Ordrupgaard Museum in Denmark. This genuinely outstanding exhibition will leave you impressed, regardless of your sphere of study.

Image: Edgar Degas, Dancers (Ordrupgaard collection)