What do the famous traveling duo Hanzelka + Zikmund and the National Technical Museum have in common? The legendary Tatra 87, with which Hanzelka and Zikmund travelled through Africa and South America on their first trip, and the start of their second expedition through Asia. The restored Tatra, donated to the National Technical Museum by Jiří Hanzelka, is on display in the Transport Hall of the NTM’s main building in Prague’s Letná district, while the second journey, which began 60 years ago at the National Technical Museum, is commemorated in an exhibition in Plasy

The exhibitions at the Centre of Building Heritage are, as the name suggests, mainly focused on building, but in addition the NTM tries to offer visitors an exhibition that goes beyond this theme every year. “This year’s choice could not have been more different,” says Karel Ksandr, director general of the National Technical Museum. “Miroslav Zikmund, a native of Pilsen, celebrated his 100th birthday in full bloom on 14 February, and on 22 April it will be exactly 60 years since Jiří Hanzelka and Miroslav Zikmund left for their second expedition, which they embarked on from the National Technical Museum.”
The second, so-called Asian, journey is therefore given the most space. The beginning of the first and second expedition was separated by 12 years. It is almost unbelievable to see what has changed in that short time. The film and photographic work of the H+Z duo is also a major theme of the exhibition. The “filmmaking inexperts”, as Miroslav Zikmund describes himself and his friend in his book Filmmakers H+Z, became experienced cameramen and directors during their travels. The exhibition also features their stereoscopic (today we would say 3D) photographs and films.
The exhibition entitled Filmmakers Hanzelka and Zikmund was prepared for the NTM by Miroslav Zikmund’s long-time collaborator, filmmaker, documentary filmmaker and traveller Petr Horky.
Along with the exhibition Filmmakers Hanzelka and Zikmund, two other exhibitions will open at the Centre of Building Heritage in Plasy on 3 April. The first one, entitled Tunnel Ejpovice. The modernisation of the Rokycany – Plzeň line will take visitors into the world of giant machines and modern technology, where the experience certainly promises the opportunity to see a model of the TBM S-799 tunnelling machine – Viktoria, the largest in the Czech Republic. The second exhibition, entitled The Danube – Oder – Elbe Water Corridor, introduces the bold idea of connecting these three great rivers, three different seas, by water transport routes.

National Technical Museum
Centre of Building Heritage Plasy
Opening hours:
3. 4. – 31. 10. 2018
tuesday – Sunday (and public holidays)
from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Press release 27 March 2019
Mgr. Kristýna Koderová

PR and Public Relations Department
Email: kristyna.koderova@ntm.cz
Tel.: 373 300 744 / Mob.: 777 710 802

National Technical Museum
Centre of Building Heritage Plasy
Pivovarská 5, 331 01 Plasy
www.muzeum-plasy.cz
www.ntm.cz