The Ostrava branch of the National Agricultural Museum offers exhibitions dedicated to food and agricultural machinery. We present regional agricultural and food traditions.

In 2020 the museum opened a new exhibition in Dolní Vítkovice. The original rail car servicing plant of the Vítkovice ironworks and the warehouse of refractory material, which are closely tied to the Hlubina Mine, were converted into a depository and exhibition building of the National Museum of Agriculture. The designers of the architectural solution to restore both halls, including the installation of a study depository are Josef Pleskot and Milan Šraml.

The National Agricultural Museum in Ostrava is part of the TECHNOTRASA/ TECHNOTRAIL – the raw beauty of Moravia and Silesia. Head out on the Technotrail, which links one-of-a-kind destinations with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, demonstrating the unique technological advancement of Northern Moravia and Silesia along the way.

The project was funded by the EU (ESIF).

After the museum was relocated here, it’s open study depository makes a part of its unique collection of historical agricultural technology accessible to visitors, while it opens simultaneously an interactive Food exhibition focusing not only on the quality of Czech food, but also on its ingredients, variety, processing technology and other connections.

Project for the Depository and Exhibition Building of the NMA in Ostrava

Characteristics of the Project

The place of implementation of the presented project is Ostrava, more precisely the attractive location of the Lower Vítkovice district.
The project concerned two buildings (the original rail car servicing plant of the Vítkovice ironworks and the warehouse of refractory material), which, until 1997, were used as technical facilities for the maintenance of blast furnaces and then served as warehouses. The two existing buildings were located in the Ostrava–Vítkovice urban conservation zone, however, this was not a national heritage site or a cultural monument. After reconstruction, the museum was  relocated here, and its open study depository makes a part of its unique collection of historical agricultural technology accessible to visitors, while it simultaneously opens an interactive Food exhibition focusing not only on the quality of Czech food, but also on its ingredients, variety, processing technology and other connections.

Aims of the Project

The main aim of the presented project was to improve conditions for storage, presentation and security of collection funds of the National Museum of Agriculture, in particular the following sub-collections: Transport and Energy Sources, Plant Production II, Food Production, Forestry and Photo Archives.

The implementation of the project therefore led to:

• a significant improvement of conditions for the storage of collection items in depositories,
• expansion of the possible presentations of the museum’s collection items for visitors (a dynamic food exhibition, a study depository and agricultural technology),
• access to exhibitions for visitors with limited mobility (the building will be wheelchair accessible),
• security of collection items, primarily with regard to fire protection, protection of collection items against alienation, protection against unwanted entry of persons onto the premises, and protection against unauthorised manipulation.

The specified aim of the project was in full compliance with specified aim 3.1 – Streamlining presentations, strengthening protection, and the development of cultural heritage, which is established by the IROP.

Project completion:

31^th May 2020