National Technical Museum, Prague, Czech Republic

1. Time measurement

In this section, located to the right of the entrance, we encounter elementary time measuring devices such as sundials, water clocks, fire clocks, hourglasses and mechanical clocks, as well as electrical and electronic devices and, finally, clocks based on quantum principles. The Czech Republic is a country with a tradition in this field thanks to Josef Božek and Josef Kossek. I have enjoyed table clocks, the mystery mantel clock, astronomical clocks, pocket timers, clock radios, electronic clocks, with the last two being my own contemporary.

2. Chemistry

The Chemistry section actually renders the presence of chemistry around us. They could not miss the old chemistry laboratory or the modern chemistry laboratory. And here we meet prominent Czech figures who were active in the field of chemistry such as Jaroslav Heyrovský, who received the Nobel Prize for polarography in 1959, or Otto Wichterle, the inventor of soft contact lenses. There is a dedicated space for the “History of contact lenses”, where we also see a contact lens manufacturing machine from 1961. We remember polymers, medicines, gases and their transport method, celluloid products, polyamide, polyurethane, colors and paints.

3. Photo

The photo exhibition or photo cinema presents the evolution of photography over time. We learn about the prehistory of photography, calotype, album paper, dry gelatin plates, bichromate colloid processes, photographic film, digital photography, three-color photography, multi-layer colored materials,
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We find cameras and old photographs. In the center of the hall is a photographic studio used for making portraits in daylight. The most valuable exhibit is the daguerreotype from 1839.

4. Automobiles and trains

The largest hall of the museum is the one that presents the transports. She is downright fascinating. It is opened in memory of pioneers on land, water and air. The hall is structured on three levels plus a ground floor. The Czech Republic and the former Czechoslovakia excel and have excelled in the field of transport.

On the ground floor we find the exhibits that represent land transport on 4 or more wheels: the first automobiles that worked with combustion and steam engines, locomotives. Symbolic vehicles include the first car manufactured in the Czech lands, the NW President car manufactured in 1898, the Tatra 80 car from 1935 used by President T. G. Masaryk. There is also the Skoda Superb.

5. Motorcycles

The first level of the transport hall built on the perimeter of the hall with a view towards its center presents the history of motorcycles from the end of the 19th century to the present day. It starts with the 1954 Jawa 500 and continues with many models including the CZ 420, Praga ED, Hildebrand & Wolfmueller, Walter, CAS and others.

6. Airplanes

The second floor is spectacular and all about airplanes. I practically went up to the level where the vehicles intended for flight are hung in the central hall. The reference pieces are: the hot air balloon, Igo Etrich’s glider, the Kašpar JK airplane from 1911 that Jan Kašpar used for the first long-distance flight in the Czech lands, and historical airplanes such as Anatra DS, Traktor, but also recreational airplanes Zlín Z XIII, 1945 Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXE fighter.

7. Bikes and ships

The third floor is placed above the first two and is that of bicycles and sea vessels. The start is given by the Praga JKB bicycle from 1937, which is followed by Detske vysoke kolo Kohout, Zavodni horske, drezina and others. In the part related to ships we see models of vehicles that circulated in the 19th century on Czech rivers, steamships or newer ones from the modern fleet.