The National Museum is the largest museum in the Czech Republic. As the central state museum with collecting, scientific, educational and methodological functions it seeks to enhance the sense of national identity and awareness of being part of the whole framework of European and world community and culture. It is a polythematic institution, which comprises a large number of scientific disciplines and areas of collecting ranging from natural sciences to specialised fields of social sciences.
The National Museum consists of five specialised institutes - the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Historical Museum, the Library of the National Museum, the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures (part of the National Museum since 1932), the Czech Museum of Music (part of the National Museum since 1984) and two technical and administrative departments – the Department of Economic Management and the Department of Central Exhibiting and Collecting Work. The National Museum accumulates collections of material documents of natural history, prehistory and history of Czech and foreign provenance, especially in the field of mineralogy, geology, petrology, paleontology, hydrobiology, micology, botanics, entomology, zoology, antropology, prehistory and protohistory, medieval archeology, classical archeology, Czech history, ethnography, numismatics (including non-European), history of theatre, history of physical education and sport, prehistory and ancient history of the Near East and Africa, non-European ethnography, Asian culture, musicology and bibliology. Collections are created in line with scientific research and according to the museum’s own conception of collecting work. The museum is in charge of the historical book fund, castle libraries, a specialised public library and a specialised archive.
Collection items as well as findings gained in the process of the compilation of their documentation and scholarly assessment are presented especially in permanent and temporary exhibitions, by way of publication work and lecturing activities in the Czech Republic and abroad. The museum organises cultural and educational programmes related to the subject matter of its activities. It publishes and distributes periodical and non-periodical publications, audio and video recordings. It is engaged in pedagogical work in the sphere of its activities.
