The Museum of Steamboats has opened aboard the steamboat Vyšehrad

Aboard one of the most beautiful technical monuments of Czech history — the historic steamboat Vyšehrad — the only floating Museum of Steamboats in the Czech Republic has been ceremonially opened. The new exhibition commemorates 160 years of Prague steam navigation and offers visitors a glimpse into the rich past as well as the future of waterway transport.

"Our goal was to create a place where visitors can touch history, hear the stories of the river and literally feel the pulse of the steam engine. Vyšehrad thus becomes a living symbol of 160 years of steam navigation in Prague," said Pavel Mácha, Director of the Pražská paroplavební společnost.

Among other things, the exhibition presents the original steam engine, which visitors can examine in detail, the boat's restored beige paintwork and the restored panelling of the mayor's salon. Historic navigation lamps and other authentic items of ship equipment are also on display.

An important place in the museum is also occupied by an exhibition of the legendary Czech construction set Merkur, which in 2025 celebrates 100 years since its creation. It includes a unique, almost two-metre model of the steamboat Vyšehrad built precisely from Merkur, complemented by other exhibits and works by children involved in the project "The Vltava — famous and navigable."

"For the steamboat Vyšehrad we long sought a worthy use, because her regular operation is demanding. The museum proved to be the ideal solution — the boat herself has become an exhibit while at the same time carrying the story of the entire Czech steam navigation," Pavel Mácha added.

The ceremonial 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 Rašínovo nábřeží, welcomed by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the band Bárka and the fanfares of the Schwarzenberg Guard. The festive atmosphere was also enhanced by the presence of First Lady Eva Pavlová, who accompanied the final stretch of the relay and recalled the importance of the river for Czech culture and the lives of the people along its banks. The water was then transported on the steamboat Vltava to Kampa.

With the opening of the museum, the steamboat Vyšehrad has been transformed into a living reminder of Czech steam navigation and the importance of the Vltava in the history of the capital city. Visitors can thus enjoy not only the beauty of the historic boat but also the stories that for decades have shaped life on the river.