The National Museum presents Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in Washington

On Wednesday, 7 February 2018, the traveling exhibition Masaryk as a Phenomenon was officially opened at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, with the participation of the General Director of the National Museum, Michal Lukeš, and the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Hynek Kmoníček.The exhibition is organized as part of a program of foreign events to celebrate 100 years of Czechoslovakia.In the U.S.A., visitors will be shown interesting pictures, objects and audio-visual projections relating to the first Czechoslovak president and his relationship to the United States of America.The exhibition will be open until March 7, 2018.
 
The newly opened Masaryk as a Phenomenon exhibition is inspired by a project of the same name that occupied the New Building of the National Museum from 15 September 2017 to 31 January 2018. It will introduce Masaryk as professor, president, but also as father and husband. Great attention is paid to Masaryk's relationship with the United States of America, which played an important role not only in his personal and working life but also in his "life project" - the promotion of the emergence of an independent Czechoslovakia during the First World War.
 
One of the most important moments in the formation of the Czechoslovak state was the signing of the Declaration of the Common Aims of the Mid-European Nations in Philadelphia (October 26, 1918). It was signed by representatives of the Czechoslovaks, Poles, Croats, Ukrainians, Ruthenians, Lithuanians, Romanians, Austrians, Turkish Greeks, Albanians, Armenians and Jews - Zionists. 
A unique photograph depicting T.G.M. at the signing of this important document can be seen by visitors, along with other items, such as the medal by Otakar Španiel issued on the occasion of T. G. Masaryk’s 85th birthday. 
 
The exhibition in Washington will also show interesting large-scale photographs and audio-visual projections. It speaks to the visitor with both sound and vision. On a replica of a period radio visitors can tune in and listen to Masaryk's statements in English and German. There is also the opportunity to listen to his favourite song, Ach synku, synku (“Ah son, son”) in the original version. Masaryk's thoughts are loud throughout the whole space, surrounding the visitors throughout their visit: "... God willing, I will be watching you a while longer. How are you managing things?"
 
This traveling exhibition will be seen in time in several other cities.