It may sound hard to believe, but Opava's Silesian Museum is the oldest in the Czech Republic. Even the National Museum on the upper end of Saint Wenceslaus Square in Prague was only established four years later.
The Silesian Museum originated at the local grammar school in 1814. Its birth was the result of collaborative work between local professors and the Enlightened mayor, Jan Josef Schössler, whose "signature" can be found on many of the city's grandiose ideas.
Today, the museum is the third largest in the country, and boasts a collection of roughly two and a half million exhibit items and documents.
Those interested in the area’s history from the Ice Age to present day should definitely not miss out on the Silesian Museum in Opava during their explorations. The museum also features other expositions, such as the
World War II Memorial in Hrabyně and the
Czechoslovak fortifications in Darkovičky near Hlučín. The museum is also dedicated to the legacy of
poet Petr Bezruč.