The director of the Museum of the Capital City of Prague will be Ivo Macek from January

Prague – The new director of the Museum of the Capital City of Prague will be Ivo Macek, who will replace the current director Zuzana Strnadová starting next year. The result of the selection process was approved by the city councilors. The city holds competitions for the directors of cultural institutions every six years, regardless of whether the current leadership of the magistrate is satisfied with the current director.

The future museum director Macek has been the director of the Natural History Museum of the National Museum since 2015. He studied at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University and at the Faculty of Management and Economics of Tomas Bata University in Zlin. Macek stated today that he plans to use his experience from leading the largest exhibition project at the National Museum.

He wants to apply this experience for the preparation of exhibitions in the now-reconstructed main building of the city museum on Na Poříčí Street and also for the planned new spaces in the renovated Clam-Gallas Palace, where the city plans to establish a museum of Prague Baroque.

Councillor Hana Třeštíková thanked the current director Strnadová, who has been at the helm of the museum for nearly 23 years. "She led the museum through many investment projects and conceptual changes," she stated. The outgoing director said that she considers consolidating the collections significant in addition to investments, which were fragmented in 13 depositories upon her arrival and are now consolidated in two large areas at world-class standards. "I believe that I am handing over the museum in a consolidated state," she said.

Regular competitions for directors now apply to cultural organizations and schools in Prague. In the past, the council also approved their organization in healthcare and social services, but after resistance from some coalition members, the city postponed the implementation of this rule. The selection processes aim to prevent stagnation of organizations and force their management to regularly establish concepts and visions.

The Museum of the Capital City is a contributory organization of Prague, and its collection fund is dedicated to the history of Prague. Currently, it manages fourteen buildings. Both permanent exhibitions and time-limited exhibitions are held in them. The main museum building is located on Na Poříčí Street and was built between 1896 and 1898 according to the design of architect Antonín Balšánek. It has been closed since last year and will remain so until the fall of next year for renovations.