On one of the most beautiful technical monuments of Checo history — the historic vapor Vyšehrad — the only floating Museu dos Vapores in the República Checa has been ceremonially opened. The new exhibition recalls 160 years of Praga vapor Navigation and offers visitors a look at both the rich past and the future of barco transport.
“Our goal was to create a place where visitors can touch history, hear the stories of the rio and literally feel the heartbeat of the steam engine. The Vyšehrad thus becomes a living symbol of 160 years of vapor navigation in Praga,” said Pavel Mácha, director of the Praga vapor Company.
Among other things, the exhibition presents the original steam engine, which visitors can examine in detail, the barco'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 museu is given to an exhibition of the legendary Checo construction set Merkur, which in 2025 celebrates 100 years since its creation. The display includes a unique, almost two-metre model of the Vyšehrad vapor built from Merkur parts, complemented by other exhibits and works by crianças involved in the project “Vltava — Famous and Navigable”.
“We had been looking for a worthy use for the Vyšehrad vapor for a long time, because regular operation is demanding. The museu turned out to be the ideal solution — the barco itself has become an exhibit while also carrying the story of all Checo vapor 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 Margem de Rašín, welcomed by the Checo 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 rio to Checo culture and to the lives of people along its banks. The water was then transported by the vapor Vltava to Kampa.
With the opening of the museu, the Vyšehrad vapor has become a living reminder of Checo vapor 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 rio for decades.
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