The Story of Boats in the Lapidarium of the Olomouc Regional Museum

On May 1, 2026, the Lapidarium of the Olomouc Regional Museum (Denisova 30) ceremonially opens an expanded exhibition titled "The Story of Stone" and "The Story of Boats". Its main attraction features two unique historical monoxyla – vessels carved from a single piece of wood. The Celtic monoxyl, discovered in 1999 in a gravel pit near Mohelnice, is the oldest dated boat from the territory of the Czech Republic and dates to the 3rd century BCE. The second monoxyl, an oak boat from the 16th century, was discovered in 1962 in the riverbed of the Morava River in Hynkov (a local part of the village of Příkazy) and had been stored in the museum's warehouse in Chudobín. The exhibition aims to tell two different stories – prehistoric and historical – and to highlight the crucial role of the Morava River as a transport and lifeline. The Lapidarium is now fully accessible thanks to the installation of wheelchair ramps, descriptions are gradually being converted to Braille for the blind and visually impaired, and interactive elements are included. On opening day, May 1, admission is free. The exhibition is open from May 1 to September 30, daily except Mondays, from 10 to 18 hours.