Education Programs Nelahozeves

Discover cabinets of curiosities—the Renaissance precursors to modern museums and art collections as we know them today. These cabinets included rare and exotic objects representing the natural wonders and oddities of the world. This program allows students to learn about the history of these cabinets and their contents (including when, how, and who first created them) by studying a fascinating example from the Lobkowicz Collections: xylotheque. These wondrous wooden books are made from the bark of trees. Inside they hold the original twigs, leaves, blossoms, dried fruits, and sometimes even parasites that would have damaged those trees. The largest historic collection in the Czech Republic is housed at Nelahozeves Castle. The first half of the program includes an interactive discussion; the second half of the program invites students to create their own xylotheque to take home. Younger students will create a more simplified version. 

Age Group: 6–13 years old  

Program Duration: 90 minutes

 Capacity: 20 + 2x teachers/guardians for free (please contact us for larger group requests)  

Admission: 150 CZK per student

Learning Outcomes: Children gain knowledge in the history of cabinets of curiosities, understanding when, how and who first created them, understand the anatomy of trees, and develop new skills by applying the basic material principles of xylotheque to create a modern-day version.

Subjects: History, Art, Natural History

Location: Nelahozeves Castle 

Prerequisites/Notes: We ask that children collect their own natural materials in advance for the workshop (twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, any other parts of a tree or bush). Younger children need materials which will be shared among the whole group; older students need their own materials. More information will be given upon booking. The program only includes a partial tour of the exhibition at Nelahozeves Castle. Students will visit two selected rooms related to the theme of the program. This program is only offered between April–October.