Historic Moment: The Fossils of Lucy and Selam Arrive from Ethiopia to the Czech Republic. From 25 August 2025, they will be on display at the National Museum of the Czech Republic.

Visitors will have a truly unique opportunity to view two of the most valuable and famous palaeoanthropological specimens in the world at the Historical Building of the National Museum of the Czech Republic from 25 August to 23 October 2025. In anticipation of significant public interest, the National Museum of the Czech Republic will extend its opening hours and introduce timed-entry tickets.

Thanks to the uniqueness of both fossils of our ancient ancestors and their inestimable scientific value, the transfer from the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa was conducted under extraordinary security measures. The transport was carried out on a special Ethiopian Airlines flight, accompanied by the Director General of the National Museum of the Czech Republic, Michal Lukeš, the Director General of the lending institution, the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, Abebaw Ayalew Gella, curators from both institutions, and the Special Operations Unit of the Police of the Czech Republic. For the first time in Europe — and for the first time together — these extraordinary specimens will be displayed side by side at the entrance to the People and Their Ancestors exhibition in the Historical Building of the National Museum of the Czech Republic. Until now, the public has only once had the chance to see the original fossil of Lucy outside Ethiopia — during a six-year tour of the United States between 2007 and 2013. The original Selam fossil was officially unveiled only at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa in 2006 when the new discovery was announced.

„The arrival of Lucy and Selam in Prague is a dream come true for the National Museum and for me personally, and undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in the history of our institution. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ethiopia and all my colleagues at the Ethiopian Heritage Authority for the extraordinary trust and generosity with which they have provided us with this unique opportunity. It is a great honor for us to welcome to Prague fossils that bear witness to the beginnings of humanity and to give the public the opportunity to see them for the first time in Europe,“ says Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National Museum of the Czech Republic.

The 3.2-million-year-old fossil of Australopithecus afarensis Lucy and the roughly 150,000-year-older Selam, belonging to the same family of human ancestors, will be on display at the National Museum of the Czech Republic for 60 days. Both specimens are among the most treasured items of Ethiopia’s national cultural heritage, and their loan is made possible through an agreement between the two countries. Iconic Lucy, whose skeleton was discovered in 1974, and unique Selam, fossil skeleton of a child found in 2000, represent key evidence about the early stages of human development and for understanding Ethiopia’s importance as the land od origine.

The public will also have a rare opportunity to meet the discoverers of Lucy and Selam — Donald Johanson and Zeresenay Alemseged — in person at a discussion moderated by Daniel Stach on 27 August 2025 at 6 p.m. in the New Building of the National Museum of the Czech Republic. More information, along with ticket purchases, is available on the museum’s website.

Extended Opening Hours and Timed Tickets

From 26 August, the National Museum of the Czech Republic will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition, from 15 August, online ticket sales for a specific date and time will be available.