On one of the most beautiful technical monuments of Czech history — the historic steamer Vyšehrad — the only floating Steamboat Museum in the Czech Republic has been ceremonially opened. The new exhibition recalls 160 years of Prague Steamboat Navigation and offers visitors a look at both the rich past and the future of boat transport.
“Our goal was to create a place where visitors can touch history, hear the stories of the river and literally feel the heartbeat of the steam engine. The Vyšehrad thus becomes a living symbol of 160 years of steamboat navigation in Prague,” said Pavel Mácha, director of the Prague Steamboat Company.
Among other things, the exhibition presents the original steam engine, which visitors can examine in detail, the boat's restored beige paint, and the renewed panelling of the mayoral lounge. Also on display are historic navigation lamps and other authentic items of ship equipment.
An important place in the museum is given to an exhibition of the legendary Czech construction set Merkur, which in 2025 celebrates 100 years since its creation. The display includes a unique, almost two-metre model of the Vyšehrad steamer built from Merkur parts, complemented by other exhibits and works by children involved in the project “Vltava — Famous and Navigable”.
“We had been looking for a worthy use for the Vyšehrad steamer for a long time, because regular operation is demanding. The museum turned out to be the ideal solution — the boat itself has become an exhibit while also carrying the story of all Czech steamboat navigation,” added Pavel Mácha.
The festive opening was accompanied by the finale of the Vltava Relay with water from the Vltava's source. A historic raft from southern Bohemia arrived at the Rašín embankment, welcomed by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, the band Bárka and the fanfares of the Schwarzenberg Guard. The festive atmosphere was further enhanced by the presence of First Lady Eva Pavlová, who accompanied the final stretch of the relay and reminded everyone of the importance of the river to Czech culture and to the lives of people along its banks. The water was then transported by the steamer Vltava to Kampa.
With the opening of the museum, the Vyšehrad steamer has become a living reminder of Czech steamboat navigation and the importance of the Vltava in the history of the capital. Visitors can therefore enjoy not only the beauty of the historic vessel, but also the stories that have shaped life on the river for decades.
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