My affection towards Prague is no secret. I've seen a lot of this magnificent city in 5 months but I can't get enough. It wasn't until recently that I got around to visiting some of Prague's famous museums. I was careful in choosing which museums to see (museum burnout can be harmful to the tourist experience-- e.g. Berlin's Museum Island). Here's the rundown:
Mucha Museum
You would probably recognize Mucha's (pronouced Moo-kha) style featuring fairy-tale women and art nouveau decorations. His art and life-story are equally beautiful. After visiting the museum and seeing his art around Prague, he's easily become one of my favorite artists.
Before going to the museum it may interest you to read one or two of Kafka's famous books. I recommend The Trial. I think it embodies the problems that both Kafka and Czechoslovakia were dealing with in the early 20th century. If you dig Kafka's style (aka Kafkaesque) you may also enjoy The Castle, America, or Metamorphosis. In addition to reading up, I also recommend doing a Kafka tour of Prague either on your own or with a tour group. A quick walk around the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter will reveal many of his dwellings, a plaque, and a statue in his honor. With some knowledge of his books and his Prague life the museum will really bring everything together for you, otherwise you might just find him depressing and/or creepy.
A Modigliani exhibit is showing at Obecnà Dum (Municiple House) through 28 February 2011. I love me some Modiggs but I wasn't the only one who thought the show fell short of its hype. However a trip to the Municiple House is a worth it in itself. It was built in the Art Nouveau style by many famous Czech artists, like Mucha in the early 20th century. It's worth taking the building tour- it's the only way to go above ground level.
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