Smetana was the greatest Czech composer of his time, seizing upon the opportunist moment when music was at last allowed to reflect Czech national identity and thereby paving the way for Dvorak, Janacek et al. The Smetana Museum was therefore high on our list of things to see in Prague, and it did not disappoint.
On the map it looks as if it adjoins Charles Bridge, but in fact it is the furthest of the group of buildings adjoining the bridge. To find the entrance turn right if you have been walking over the bridge from the castle side, walk through the archway, turn right and walk past cafes and souvenir shops towards the river. You still cannot see the museum entrance, but it really is there, tucked just round a corner. Don%26#39;t go there on Tuesdays at it is closed.
To photograph the outside of the building the best view is from the opposite side of the river. Photography inside is allowed for a small fee, but as most displays are things to read it is probably not worth it.
The exhibition is well set out on the first floor, with copies of contemporary reviews, letters, autographs etc. There are interesting documents relating to specific pieces of music displayed on large wooden music-stands. If you wish to create some ambience in the room by listening to a sample from one of these pieces you can do so by zapping the music stand with a magic wand situated on a lecturn. It took me a few moments to work out what I was supposed to do, but I am not very technically minded. The attendant just sat and watched with a museum attendant expression.
Oh, yes, and we did see Smetana. Well, a bit of him anyway. It was not a lock of hair as in the Mozart Museum at Bertramka. I%26#39;ll leave you to find out for yourself!
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smetana museum is good. it is in the same group of buildings as the lavka and karlovy lazne nightclubs which rather spoils the impression
did you see the dvorak muzeum on ke karlovu street in the old town which is actually better than both the smetana museum and bertramka
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Yes, we visited the Dvořák museum which is very good. We liked the room with his piano and other pieces of furniture. It makes a nice atmosphere, almost as if the maestro is just round the corner. This is something the Smetana museum lacks.
We also visited the Janàček museum in Brno where we were treated extremely kindly and given a guided tour in the best English the lady could muster, and she offered to show us a DVD about Janàček although this meant staying on 40 minutes after official closing time.
We also went to Hukvaldy (we hired a car for the day) and saw Janàček%26#39;s birthplace from outside, but the lady in reception, who spoke as little English as we did Czech, explained -with the help of her computer and a translation program - quite comical really - that it was closed because the mayor is using it as a temporary office while his office is being refurbished. However, we made our way to Janàček%26#39;s retirement home which was very interesting. The bloke who lives there was on his hands and knees doing the gardening but he let us in and took the money and quickly disappeared again into the garden! We then followed the Janàček trail in the park which takes you past the statue of Bystrouška (The Cunning Little Vixen).
Hats off to Smetana, Dvořák and Janàček.
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excellent trip - you went to places well off the beaten track
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