The National Museum in Prague opened one of its most significant exhibition projects of the year on 11 March 2025, in collaboration with the National Museum of Genghis Khan. The exhibition takes its name from an extraordinary historical figure, Genghis Khan. However, its focus is much broader, exploring not only the life and times of the legendary conqueror and founder of one of history’s greatest empires but also the wider historical and cultural context.
The unique ‘Genghis Khan’ exhibition will be open to the public in the Historical Building for almost four months, until 22 June. On display will be rare artefacts of world cultural heritage that are seldom exhibited abroad. These originate from the collections of the Genghis Khan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar and the Archaeological Institute of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. The exhibition is further enriched by equally rare exhibits from the National Museum’s own collections, offering visitors an immersive journey into the world of the great Khan in the first quarter of the 13th century, as well as the centuries before and after.
Visitors can look forward to treasures from monumental underground tombs of Hun rulers, weapons and riding equipment of the feared Mongol warriors, relics from their campaigns that reshaped vast parts of the known world, and artefacts providing insight into the spiritual and mystical traditions of the early Mongols, their daily lives, and personal histories. The exhibition comprises over 260 exhibits or groups of objects, including rare pieces of gold jewellery, weapons, clothing, ritual masks, paintings, ceramics, and riding equipment. A particular highlight is a rare wooden horse saddle from the time of the Great Mongol Empire.
‘The ‘Genghis Khan’ exhibition is the first of several major international projects we are presenting at the National Museum this year. It sheds light not only on the personality of Genghis Khan but also on his predecessors and successors, offering a comprehensive perspective on this historical period. For the first time in the Czech Republic, unique exhibits from the collections of the National Museum of Genghis Khan in Ulaanbaatar and other Mongolian institutions will be on display, complemented by rare artefacts from our own collections,’ says Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National Museum.
The exhibition introduces not only the famous ruler and conqueror but also the Great Mongol Empire he established in the early 13th century, which, at the height of its power, encompassed vast parts of Asia and Europe and is considered the second-largest empire in history. It also explores the history of the Turkic tribes and Asian Huns who inhabited what is now Mongolia before the Mongols’ arrival, highlighting their nomadic way of life and its profound influence on the formation of the Mongolian state.
The ‘Genghis Khan’ exhibition will be accompanied by guided tours, lectures, workshops, art studios, and educational programmes for school groups. A family day and a festival of Mongolian culture will also take place at the Náprstek Museum. The exhibition will be on display in the Historical Building of the National Museum until 22 June 2025.
National Museum Prague (Národní muzeum)
Václavské nám. 68, 110 00 Nové Město
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