The reconstruction of the Hradec museum in the barracks will cost 237 million CZK

Hradec Králové - The reconstruction and extension of the Gayer Barracks in the center of Hradec Králové, which houses the East Bohemian Museum, will be carried out by the company BAK-GEOSAN for 237 million crowns including VAT. The Hradec Králové Region chose the construction firm from four bids. The total project price, including the interior equipment of the museum, is 269 million crowns with tax. Construction could start this summer. Representatives of the region said this to journalists today. The region wants to cover 90 percent of the costs from a grant.

"We already have a valid building permit. We will apply for a grant soon through the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) of the Hradec-Pardubice agglomeration within the framework of the Integrated Regional Operational Program (IROP)," stated the councilor for investments and property Václav Řehoř (ODS).

The Gayer Barracks are owned by the Hradec Králové Region, which entrusted the building to the management of the East Bohemian Museum in Hradec Králové. “A modern depository for the collections of the East Bohemian Museum will be created in the Gayer Barracks, which will be partially accessible to the public. The project also addresses specific requirements from heritage conservationists related to archaeological finds. The project should also include, for example, a barrier-free extension, a research room, and access to the archaeological findings of the fortification rampart," said the deputy governor for education Martina Berdychová (Východočeši). According to her, this will be the largest regional investment in culture in 2019.

The neighboring Vrbenský Barracks, owned by the city of Hradec Králové, is also projected to undergo reconstruction costing an estimated 350 to 450 million crowns in the future. The main investor of the reconstruction will be the Hradec Králové Region. The previously unused Vrbenský Barracks building is expected to display the museum's natural history collection as well as the regional archaeological exhibition.

The ISP Hradec Králové company is also currently building a parking garage for three hundred cars in the area of the Gayer and Vrbenský Barracks. The garages are expected to be completed by mid-2019.

The main seat of the East Bohemian Museum is a Art Nouveau building by architect Jan Kotěra on Eliščina embankment, which serves for exhibition activities. The building, which is a national cultural monument, belongs to the city of Hradec Králové. The city has been renovating the building on the embankment since last spring at a cost of 68 million crowns excluding VAT. The museum could be opened to the public by the end of 2019. The facility in the Gayer Barracks area serves scientific-research museum activities.