27 June – 19 October 2025, Small gallery
Explore the richness of renaissance science through a unique exhibition dedicated to the iconic herbarium by the Italian humanist and physician Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501–1578), first translated to Czech and published in 1562 under the title Herbář, jinak bylinář velmi užitečný (Herbarium, a Highly Useful Book of Herbs). This work marked a milestone in the development of Czech botany and botanical nomenclature. It was the very first herbarium published in the Czech lands. In our exhibition we will show you all the crucial editions of this title. Special attention is paid to the 1562 and 1563 editions by Jiří Melantrich, a printer from Prague, and the 1596 edition by Adam of Veleslavín. Besides the Mattioli Herbarium, there will be also other books of historical significance by his predecessors, contemporaries and followers, as well as numerous period botanical prints and maps.
Gallery