Former Šumava Museum

On June 5, 1921 a meeting took place in the town of Horní Planá to introduce a plan to establish an association and to found a museum of the Šumava region. This plan had been taken up with enthusiasm and it was decided to take further steps. Already on July 15, the constitution of the museum association as well as the ethnography and enlightenment association were in place. The state office for political affairs ratified both associations on September 26, 1921. Both associations were officially established on October 31 of the same year. All the organisational presumption for the foundation of the museum were fulfilled.

On July 22, 1922 a contract was signed to buy a large building No. 115 (former inn) with a parcel of land. It led to the placement and exhibition of the collection.

The Šumava Museum was opened with many festivities a year later - on July 8, 1923. In the following years the collection has been expanded. In 1942 there were 16 exhibition halls and some items were placed in the corridors and staircases. The collected items represented a broad area of natural history and social studies (archaeology, history, ethnography, library and various articles in memory of the famous native son, Adalbert Stifter). A park which created a bridge with the memorial of Adalbert Stifter at Dobrá Voda was a significant addition to the museum.

The attendance to the museum was relatively good. There had been 3,175 visitors during the 3 summer months June to August and the average yearly visit was estimated at 5,000 people. During the second world war the attendance dropped by half. The museum closed from 1945 - 1949. In spite of the efforts to re-open it, the collection has been finally transferred to other institutions. Most of the items are kept in the museum of Český Krumlov. The valuable regional library has been split - one part in the Museum of Natural History in Český Krumlov, the other in the museum of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. Many items are being used in museums, in short term exhibitions and at the Stifter's memorial.

(pj)