Olomouc Museum Night – Back Again After a Year

Once a year in Olomouc, as in other cities across the Czech Republic, museums, galleries, and other interesting cultural institutions open their doors in the evening. Admission is usually free or for a nominal fee, and there is often an interesting accompanying program. This year, over fifty different venues are participating in Olomouc Museum Night, and the program lineup is truly rich. A new feature this year is the opening of the Dolní Gallery from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. This space is located in the historic building of a former bank on Dolní Square. The two-story hall with a glass ceiling and Art Nouveau stained-glass windows is another of Olomouc’s hidden treasures. It brings together craftsmanship, art, and social entrepreneurship, and during the Olomouc Museum Night, an exhibition by Jindřich Štreit titled “We Play for You” will also be on display here.

Among the venues that participate in the Olomouc Museum Night every year, a varied supporting program will be offered at locations such as the Regional Museum, Fort XVII in Křelov, and the Faculty of Science in Olomouc. The Ceremonial Hall of the Komenium Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, the South Slavic Mausoleum, and the Civil Defense Shelter in Bezruč Park will also be open again. On the riverfront, you can enjoy evening cruises on the Morava River, and music parties are planned at venues such as Bar Zahrada and the Telegraph. This year, you’ll also have the chance to view Olomouc from a bird’s-eye perspective at one of the lookouts, such as the terrace of the Central Park Hotel Flora or the roof of the Hotel House. The guided tours of the Central Cemetery in Neředín are definitely worth a visit. They will take place at four different times and will guide visitors in the footsteps of notable Olomouc personalities as well as to graves of artistic and architectural interest. This year, the cemeteries of the city of Olomouc are also commemorating the 125th anniversary of their founding.

As has become tradition, Republic Square will also come alive during this year’s Olomouc Museum Night. From 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., there will be live music, and visitors can enjoy light installations as well as a relaxation area with refreshments. Performers taking the stage will include Lukáš Mareček’s Voice & Hands, Sugar and Spice Holding Company, The Quest, and Mike Willis & H Minor. Across the street at CENTRAL, starting at 7 p.m., attendees can catch the final performance of *Pastička*—a grotesque psychological play about adolescence with mythological themes. The performance will be accompanied by live music from the band Zrní, and a full-length concert by the band will follow at 9 p.m.

Olomouc Museum Night is part of the Museum Nights Festival, which is being held across the Czech Republic for the 22nd time this year. Olomouc’s museums, galleries, and other institutions have been participating with their own programs since 2014, and every year the event attracts more enthusiastic fans of all ages.