The Museum of Art wants Šépeks SEFO; admission to permanent exhibitions will be free

PRESS RELEASE | SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

From 1 October 2020, the Olomouc Museum of Art will make its permanent exhibitions in the Museum of Modern Art and in the Archdiocesan Museum available free of charge. The museum management has also decided to hold the Olomouc Central European Forum (SEFO) according to the design of architect Jan Šépka.

The decision on the form of the SEFO was preceded by a broader discussion about three options: to use the large space of the Haná barracks, to announce an architectural competition for a new building or to use Jan Šépkas original design. "We decided on the last variant, ie the design of the architect Šépka. It is the best and most realistic way to implement this project, "said the director of the Museum of Art, Ondřej Zatloukal. "At the same time, this decision is in line with the recommendations of the Czech Chamber of Architects and the National Monuments Institute," he added.

The vision of a modern open institution also includes making the museum collection accessible to the widest possible audience, which is why admission to permanent exhibitions will be free from 1 October. Especially in the case of the Archdiocesan Museum, this is a generous step, because the building bearing the exclusive European Heritage Label includes a complex of buildings including the so-called Olomouc Castle and the former chapter deanery with rare exhibits - paintings, sculptures, precious liturgical objects and archaeological finds. . "This helpful step towards the public is related to our efforts to make managed collections as accessible as possible," said director Zatloukal. "Any financial shortfall will compensate for admission to short-term exhibitions, Zdíks Palace and above-standard services - tablet rentals with an animated guide for families with children, multilingual audio guide, VR glasses with a virtual tour of Zdíks Palace and others.