Africké muzeum Dr. Emila Holuba Museum

Africké muzeum Dr. Emila Holuba in Holice in Pardubice Region is a unique testimony about the life and travels of a local native. Emil Holuba, an African traveler and a doctor, became famous in the 19th century with his expeditions to far-off Africa. The museum dedicated to its legacy has become an important place to explore its adventures and to preserve the African collection it brought from the continent.

The road to the museum was long and complicated. After Holub's death in 1902, the idea of creating a memorial hall arose in Holice. The first attempt took place in 1925 when the local council released a room in the town hall where several items and documents were displayed from his travels. But this early exhibition was destroyed in 1945 by a fire during the May uprising. In 1947, re-efforts brought together other documents and collections to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Holub's birth. After the 1950 Ministerial Decree, Holub's collections concentrated in Holíc, where the Committee on their care was established in 1953. On 1 May 1956 the memorial hall was finally opened in the local parish. A key moment became the legacy of Holub's wife Rose, who, after her death on 28 September 1958, donated to the city his complete collection and study.

The museum's own building was created from 1962 to 1966 according to the design of the Bratislava architect Štefan Imrich. The opening ceremony took place on 30 April 1966 under the name Dr. Emil Holub Memorial. The construction represents an elegant one-storey hall building in the spirit of international modernity, surrounded by white travertine. The architectural feature is the vertical layout of the windows highlighting the entrance staircase with a thin awning above the main entrance. The interior preserved original surfaces and decorative elements. Since 2024, the building together with the adjacent cultural house has been protected as a памятка.

The exhibition links traditional museum items with audiovisual elements. Visitors see the Pigeons' personal effects, his study, orders and gifts from the Native Chiefs. The heart of the exhibition is a functional model of Victoria Falls with an illusion of flowing water and a stylized African village with sounds of nature and African music. The illusion of the African landscape with flying birds and dispersing with savanna, the sounds of wild animals and the pappanine of Holub's lion prince - all these elements create an absorbing atmosphere. Interactive touch screens, mysterious lockers with hidden African collection and play corner with puzzles are mainly addressed by families with children. The short film by the directors Milan Šteindler and Martin Kopp revives Holuba's travels with animation.

In 2012, after visiting more than 1,34 million people and subsequent reconstruction, the museum was reopened under the new name Africké muzeum Dr. Emila Holuba. Modern exhibition was designed by architect and theatrician David Vávra. Today it is one of the most original museums in the Czech Republic, which can present authentic collections and history in a way attractive to contemporary visitors.