Eva Novotná

3.17 Reflection on the History and Mapping the Future (Paper)

Eva Novotná – National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic

Alena Kotyza – National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic

Kristýna Říhová – National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract:

The history of museum pedagogy at the National Gallery Prague (NGP) dates back to 1965. This paper explores how educators in the past responded to the gallery’s exhibitions and how the methodology and structure of its educational programs and displays have evolved over time. Drawing on archival research and an analysis of current practices, we will address the following questions: What role did education play at the NGP sixty years ago, and what importance does it have today? Which educational strategies have stood the test of time, and which ones are emerging as innovative approaches? Through specific examples, we will demonstrate how exhibition practices have shifted in response to the so-called “educational turn” and how our programming has adapted to the evolving methodological challenges of recent years. This paper will also share our current vision for gallery education at the NGP, along with the criteria we use to assess its quality. We will reflect on the pressing questions we face today: What purpose does art serve in the gallery context? What do we learn, teach, and discover through it? Our discussion will focus on selected examples from the 19th- to 21st-century collections at the gallery, as well as the role of educational programs for school groups. What areas of knowledge should be explored within school programs, and how can we help make art a natural and essential tool for learning and personal growth?