Seoul Museum Of History Holds Special Exhibition Introducing Czech Puppetry

Puppets are an essential part of Czech culture, playing a role as guardians of the Czech language and national consciousness.

The Seoul Museum of History, in cooperation with the Chrudim Puppetry Museum, is holding a special exhibition titled “Secrets of Wooden Puppets – Czech Marionettes.”

“Czech puppetry’s origin comes from nomadic puppeteers in the 18th century. Most of them travelled around with their whole family, carrying fully decorated stages in their caravans, and performing at pubs, fairs, and town squares.”

With increasing popularity, more and more puppet theaters were formed over time, and even now professional theaters in the Czech Republic maintain the tradition.

“We are very proud of it, because it is really part of rich cultural and historical life. The puppetry changed now it is mostly done now in the theaters and also the characters changed with the time but they always try to reflect the life and society and when you visit the theaters you really experience daily lives on the stage shown in very artistic way.”

Bringing Czech culture to Seoul required careful planning due to the difficulties of international travel.

“We were finally able to do the exhibition thanks to Chrudim Puppetry Museum’s decision to send exhibits without curators. This is the first time for Seoul City to receive the items like this. Due to the limited number of flights, we made sure the items arrived much earlier than usual three weeks before and our curators installed the exhibits, coordinating with local Czech curators remotely.”

“I think that we are the first institution that received such export permission without the presence of a curator from the Ministry of Culture probably in last 50 years. The opportunity to hold an exhibition about Czech puppetry in such a distant country as South Korea actually means bringing a European or absolutely different phenomenon to another culture.”

Last year marked the 30th year of diplomatic relations between two countries, and though delayed, the exhibition gives visitors a unique taste of Czech culture.