Corner of the Academy of Sciences

Unfortunately, presentations are only in Czech // Experiments can also be explained in English.

Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

  • All-day discussions with experts on Asia and the Middle East

Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences

  • Are you interested in your family tree? Would you like to know how to trace your ancestors? Experts from the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences will show you how.
  • Lecture: Otýlie and Karel Malí-Tatranští – an unfinished journey around the world on foot
  • Lecture: Journey around the world – the photographic diary of Jiří Viktor Daneš

Institute of Experimental Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences

  • Creative color experiments—not just with Asian plants

July 4, 2026, from 12:00 PM, Tibet House, Asian Discovery Trail

A Journey Around the World: The Flood-Damaged Photo Diary of Jiří Viktor Daneš

Lecture:

July 4, 2026, starting at 12:00 PM, Tibet House, Asian Discovery Trail

Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences (MÚA AV ČR)

Petra Brandejsová Tomsová – Tomáš W. Pavlíček (Prague: Academia, 2025)

The book and the flood-damaged photographs will be presented by one of the authors: historian Tomáš W. Pavlíček from the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences (MÚA AV ČR).

The book chronicles the photographic activities of geographer and traveler Jiří Viktor Daneš (1880–1928) between 1920 and 1923, during which time he—accompanied by his wife—undertook a journey around the world. Daneš initially served as the first Czechoslovak consul in Sydney, Australia; following the end of his tenure in 1923, he returned home via the Pacific and North America.

Some of the photographs were irreparably damaged during the floods of 2002. The authors of the publication have sought to reorganize the damaged collection and interpret selected images within the book. Through these photographs and Daneš’s travelogue, one can trace his perspective on the countries visited, indigenous cultures, and exotic landscapes. The book also sheds light on themes such as colonialism, mass tourism, and migration. Jiří Daneš’s photographs are finally receiving the attention they deserve; despite the damage, the authors—in collaboration with conservators—have breathed new life into them.

PhDr. et Bc. Petra Brandejsová Tomsová: Graduate in History and Archival Science from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, Prague; Archivist and researcher at the Museum of the Czech Republic. She focuses on historical photographs and their interpretation, everyday life, travel, and the history of the Austrian nobility.

Dr. phil. Tomáš W. Pavlíček: Doctoral studies in history in Prague and Munich; archivist and researcher at the MÚA. He focuses on the cultural history of science. Using oral history methods, he records interviews with scientists, travelers, and members of research expeditions.

Otýlie and Karel Malí-Tatranský: An Unfinished Journey Around the World on Foot

Lecture:

Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences (AV ČR)

During the interwar period, travelers, globetrotters, scouts, students, teachers, and professors embarked on journeys to every corner of the globe.

The phenomenon of the round-the-world trip spread rapidly among globetrotters who set out on adventurous undertakings with only a few crowns in their pockets. The Malí-Tatranský couple began their journey in 1922—a time when the aftereffects of the First World War were still being felt, uprisings were raging in North Africa (Morocco and Libya), and British and French mandates were being established in the Middle East. During their two-year journey—which took them on foot across Europe to the Mediterranean, as well as to North Africa and Palestine—they had to overcome not only logistical hurdles but also brave dangers such as desert storms and combat operations in Libya. The journey was organized as a competition in which only a few couples from Bohemia participated. In what was then Palestine, the paths of Otylia Malá-Tatranská (1896–1971)—following her husband’s death—crossed with those of the adventurer and journalist Josef Brozík. Together, they reached Tehran; from there, after traveling through Europe, they set out for Istanbul, where they spent another seven years. A photographic record and a diary were preserved thanks to Professor Strouhal, curator of the Egyptology collection at the Náprstek Museum.

July 4, 2026, starting at 12:00 PM, Tibet House, Asian Discovery Trail

Genealogy Corner

Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Academy of Sciences (AV ČR)

Are you interested in your family tree? Would you like to know how to trace your ancestors? Experts from the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic are here to advise you! Come visit us at our Genealogy Corner!

July 4, 2026, from 12:00 p.m., Tibet House, Asian Discovery Trail

Creative color experiments—featuring, but not limited to, Asian plants

Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i.

Experiment with colors in a way that is both playful and scientific! In this workshop—situated at the intersection of science and art—you will draw on paper that changes color thanks to natural plant compounds. Discover the surprising color reactions of an Asian spice or of blue and green teas.

We will also take a closer look at felt-tip pens: discovering that black and brown aren’t always what they seem, and watching paper bouquets “bloom” in vibrant colors.

Our experiments are safe for children, so you can recreate them at home, show them to friends and acquaintances, and perhaps even develop them further.

This event is jointly organized by the Institute of Experimental Botany and the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. It has received financial support from the Czech Academy of Sciences as part of the “AV21 – Epicenter of Civilization” strategic project.

July 4, 2026, from 12:00 p.m., Tibet House, Asian Discovery Trail