'Jedno Prani Naroda Ceskeho,' the one wish of the Czech nation: Nationalism and the Czech National Museum 1848--1914

The Czech National Museum in Prague functioned as an important symbol of late nineteenth century Czech nationalism. Elites constructed the museum, but members of other cultural classes used a wide variety of methods to negotiate the meanings surrounding the museum. Although the Society of the Czech National Museum controlled access to the interior of the museum, members of the general public found a wide variety of methods to negotiate the symbolic meaning of the museum. Curators designed exhibits, but the public challenged the displays, sometimes vocally and sometimes by quietly sending objects to the museum which held personal or local significance.