Ahoj! This is McKenzie and today we visited the National Museum and heard from the enigmatic duo, the Honest Guides Janek & Honza. This is day 8 and I, for one, am finally starting to get my bearings. Today I went on my first solo adventure to breakfast and used the Honest Guides to find a trustworthy money exchange place. Of course, that meant I was in Wenceslas Square 20 minutes early and was late meeting the group, but I got there in the end and it has been an enlightening, fantastic day!

One thing that became abundantly clear throughout our tour of the National Museum is the resiliency of the Czech people. Some of my favorite things to read about were the ways in which the people resisted the Nazi and then Communist rule. For example, traditional Czech folk patterns were used as designs on clothing throughout history to protest regimes and celebrate the independent culture of the Czech people. Additionally, hidden rooms were used to hide contraband, listen to foreign radio, and as a safe space for whatever else they needed. Finally, sports were used as a form of resistance as we had heard from a previous guide– hockey is no joke here.

Up the grand staircase, there were three separate paths that I saw. First I went down the historical path, seeing such exhibits as the first evidence of Christianity and a soldier’s skeleton from the 11th century, the first Czech bible, our old friend Jan Hus and the Hussites’ protestant reformation, through the 30 Years War, all the way to the Enlightenment period with such famous leaders as Maria Theresia and her son Joseph II. It was fascinating and the exhibits were stunning, complete with movies and mood music.

The other paths led to a natural museum and a composers exhibit. The natural museum was full of the most incredible creatures, some that looked like they could be straight out of a science fiction movie. There was a giant squid, sharks, and sting rays dripping from the ceiling and displays that came to life through taxidermy and backgrounds (I swear I walked into one room and there was a rainforest in front of me!).

The composers exhibit began with a light show timed to various familiar and famous composers (I sat through the light show for Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World). Following that was a maze where you could listen to all kinds of other symphonies and a comic strand of famous composer’s lives like the founder of Czech national music, Bedřich Smetana.

Finally, we got all the insider tips from the Honest Guides like where to eat and which places to avoid. They also gave us some things to think about as tourists, making us more mindful of our effect on the environment and the native citizens. All in all, a great day full of history and exploration. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings! Rozloučení!