{"id":18054,"date":"2021-04-11T09:19:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T07:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=18054"},"modified":"2021-04-02T09:35:47","modified_gmt":"2021-04-02T07:35:47","slug":"puppet-museum-in-plzen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/czech-republic\/plzen\/puppet-museum-in-plzen\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to childhood – visit to the Puppet Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you remember Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek? The two marionettes, along with many other characters, were a part of my childhood. A visit to the Puppet Museum in Plzen brought back many memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Directly on Republic Square ( N\u00e1m\u011bst\u00ed Republiky) in a historic house is the “Puppet Museum Plzen”. In front of the door on the square I came across a sculpture with Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek, who artfully wore a their mask, even before the visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marionettenmuseum<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Afterwards, we went to the modernly designed museum. Here historical and contemporary puppets are exhibited, on touch screens you can learn a lot about the history of puppetry and go in search of the history of Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, this visit was one of the highlights of our time in Plzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is there a puppet museum in Plzen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plzen has a long tradition of puppetry. As early as the beginning of the 19th century, traveling theaters with puppeteers came to the city. With their horse-drawn carriages they moved from place to place and performed folk plays that delighted old and young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Drachen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Towards the end of the 19th century, the first permanent puppet theater in the city was established – the \u0160koda Theater. In the exhibition you can see the replica of the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beginnings of Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Puppetry continued to develop in the vacation settlements (Loutkov\u00e9 divadlo feri\u00e1ln\u00edch osad). An association and a puppet theater joined forces and thus provided an unforgettable experience for the children of poor families who could spend their vacations in the settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Karel Nov\u00e1k touring theater, it later settled in Plzen, performed there with the artists Karel Nov\u00e1k, Josef Skupa and Ji\u0159\u00ed Trnka. Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek also appeared on this stage for the first time. The theater existed in the years 1913 – 1935.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Sohn<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek are the most famous puppets of the puppeteer Josef Skupa. Father Spejbl was created in 1919\/20 according to Skupa’s designs by woodcarver Karel Nosek. Son Hurv\u00ednek saw the light of the puppet stage in 1926. He was made by Gustav Nosek, the nephew of Karel Nosek. Later, other characters were added, such as Hurv\u00ednek’s girlfriend M\u00e1ni\u010dka (1930), dog \u017deryk (1930) and Mrs. Kate\u0159ina (1971), M\u00e1ni\u010dka’s grandmother.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The puppeteer’s little plays are mainly about everyday things that the father wants to teach the son. The father is always very convinced of his knowledge and the son gets him into trouble with specific questions. In the process, a certain wit is not missed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worldwide, the stories of the Prague Puppet Theater have been performed in 31 countries and a total of 21 languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spejbl<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the Plzen Puppet Museum, the old theater where the famous puppets first appeared has been reconstructed and a small performance is automatically shown on the stage today. We were lucky that, although we were the only visitors in the museum, a “special performance” was given for us and we could admire the puppets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Puppets everywhere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But not only Spejbl and Hurv\u00ednek can be found in the puppet theater in Plzen. I was really thrilled by the historical figures, some of which have been beautifully designed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n