The Institut Paměti národa (Institute of the Memory of the Nation) Pardubice is located in the Machoňova Passage in the city centre and opened in November 2021 as the first of its kind in the Czech Republic. In the basement, the interactive exhibition "Tichá hrdinství" (Silent Heroism) uses tablets, projections and augmented reality to tell the stories of witnesses to World War II and communist totalitarianism. Every Monday, lectures and discussions with guests on historical and current topics take place on the first floor. The institute also offers experiential workshops and educational programmes for schools.
třída Míru 60, Pardubice
Opening hours follow the event programme
A lecture on the life, work, and controversial legacy of President Emil Hácha during the Protectorate period, presented by historian Lenka Kulhavá.
Historian Leo Pavlata's lecture on the diary of a Jewish girl, Vera Mahlerova, who perished during the Holocaust. Her entries reveal life in the ghetto and the persecution she endured.
A conversation with Russian journalist and activist Alsu Kurmasheva about exile, repression and uncertainty, featuring her personal account of imprisonment in Russia.
A historical lecture on the suppression and liquidation of publishing in 1949, presented by Štěpán Lars Laichter.
Pavel Kosatík discusses how Václav Havel's philosophy remains relevant and applicable in the 21st century.
A historical lecture on Soviet soldier monuments and how their meaning and significance shift within collective memory.
A lecture exploring Václav Havel's life through the lens of his family history, presented by Jana Wohlmuth Markupová.
A lecture on the life of Premysl Pitter, a Christian humanist and pacifist who rescued children during World War II, with a screening of his film.
A lecture on the life and legacy of Bishop Ján Vojtaššák, who became a symbol of Catholic resistance to communism in Czechoslovakia.
A debate with journalist and moderator Václav Moravec on the evolution of Czech politics, the state of democracy, and the role of media in contemporary society.
Documentary filmmaker Šárka Kuchtová leads a guided walk exploring the 1944 bombing of Pardubice, visiting an air-raid shelter replica and a memorial site.
Traveller and journalist Lenka Hrabalová lectures on contemporary Iran, its history, and travel in the country. An interactive exhibition of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes will also be open.
Journalist and publisher Karel Hvížďala shares memories of his interviews with prominent figures including Václav Havel, Milan Kundera, and Arnošt Lustig. A discussion at the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes with free admission available for exhibition visitors.
Interactive World War II exhibition featuring real-life stories of heroism, engaging visitors through tablets, projections, and augmented reality.
An interactive exhibition about stories from the 1950s where visitors use a tablet to influence the narratives of Milena and Leopold. Projections, sound effects, and augmented reality guide you through the Jáchymov mines and communist prisons.
Interactive exhibition about hidden heroes of the 1950s featuring projections, sound effects, and augmented reality. Part of Pardubice Museum Night.