Vojta Náprstek Reloaded

The exhibition Vojta Náprstek Reloaded commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Vojta Náprstek, one of the most prominent figures of 19th-century Czech society. It presents Náprstek as a Renaissance man of his time—a collector, philanthropist, advocate of technological progress, supporter of women’s rights, and a natural “networker” who connected people, ideas, and continents.

The exhibition presents Vojta Náprstek as an extraordinary personality of the 19th century, who was able to repeatedly "restart" his life and bring new ideas inspired by the world to Czech society. A fundamental experience for him was a ten-year stay in the United States, from where he brought not only valuable contacts, but above all inspiration for building a modern, open and educated society. After returning to Prague, he became a significant promoter of technical progress, a supporter of women's education and an initiator of social changes that were significantly ahead of his time.

The exhibition in the Náprstek Museum offers more than 420 exhibits from the collections of the National Museum and loaned objects and presents not only Náprstek's life story, but also his wide network of collaborators and friends, among whom were travelers such as Emil Holub and Josef Kořenský. You can look forward to the unique Dakota collection from 1856, which is one of the most valuable documents of the North American Sioux culture in the European context, as well as a number of historical domestic inventions that Náprstek enthusiastically presented to the public as symbols of a modern lifestyle—from early types of washing machines to the Papin pot. An interesting moment is also the reminder of the iconic fin whale, now exhibited in the Historical Building of the National Museum, which was originally installed in the U Halánků house.

The exhibition also shows the transformation of the U Halánků house into a vibrant center of Czech society, where the American Ladies' Club was established as a pioneering platform for women's education, and brings to mind the everyday and intellectual life of this exceptional community. The atmosphere of the time is enhanced by interactive and sensory elements, including the "smell of the U Halánků house" or the playful "life game" by Vojta Náprstek.

The exhibition concludes with a symbolic installation dedicated to Vojta and Josefa Náprstek, which refers to their wish to remain permanently connected to the place they had built throughout their lives. The exhibition thus concludes a powerful story of courage, openness and the desire to change the world around them.

Vojta Náprstek (1826–1894)
A native of Prague, originally Adalbert Fingerhut, he was an entrepreneur and patriot. After the revolution of 1848, he emigrated to the USA, where he worked as a bookseller and participated in an expedition to the Dakotas. After his return, he transformed the U Halánků house into a center of Czech intelligence and founded the Czech Industrial Museum, today's Náprstek Museum. Fascinated by technical progress, he sought to transfer modern conveniences to the Czech environment and significantly contributed to its cultural and social transformation.