Karel Zeman Museum

Main description

Karel Zeman was a Czech film director, designer, puppeteer and animator. If you’ve got kids and you’re looking for a suitable city centre attraction, the interactive museum dedicated to him makes an excellent choice. At the exhibition, located in the Lesser Town, below the Charles Bridge, kids can discover the work of one of the greatest Czech film directors, whose animation and film tricks have inspired – and continue to inspire – directors such as Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam and many more.

And it’s not just your kids who will have fun! For who wouldn’t want to soar through the air in a flying machine, walk on the moon as in the film Baron Prášil, or sail in a submarine, as in The Invention of Destruction, or meet the mammoth from the Journey to the Beginning of Time...

The exhibition focuses on Karel Zeman’s very first animations and puppet films of the 1940s right through to his final works. They’re all presented in a very original and engaging way, and you’ll get a chance to be on the other side of the camera. The exhibition takes you through film studios and movie scenes. You can film yourself in action, and see original puppets, and photos from Zeman’s life. The exhibition also pays particular attention to Zeman’s most famous films: Journey to the Beginning of Time, Baron Prášil and The Invention of Destruction.

The museum preserves and champions Karel Zeman’s legacy, and organises various activities for the public and schools, including animation courses. In addition, the museum is gradually releasing all of Karel Zeman’s films in digital format. In the museum shop you can buy DVDs already released, along with other Zeman-related souvenirs.

Before you go

• The fun game Journey to the Prehistoric Age is available for pre-school age children. An English version, available for free, can be provided, upon request.

• The museum is located on the banks of the Čertovka, a channel of the River Vltava. When visiting the museum, why not take the opportunity to go on a short boat trip along the Vltava. You can purchase tickets at the museum.