In 1885, the foundation of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague reflected the dramatic development of Czech society at the time. Following the establishment of a similar institution in
Brno in 1873, the Prague museum soon became an important cultural and educational center in the Crown Lands of Bohemia, then part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. The unfavorable impact of
the Industrial Revolution on the aesthetic appearance and, consequently, the quality of products had for a long time been the subject of justified criticisms from artists, theorists and the public. The idea of establishing a permanent exhibition of decorative and applied arts in Prague was realised through an exhibition arranged by the Arkadia Association in 1861 at the
Old Town Hall in Prague. Another source of inspiration was the founding of a similar institution—the South Kensington Museum (now
Victoria and Albert Museum), which opened in London in 1852 and originally contained a collection of objects of applied and decorative arts. More important for the Czech public, however, was the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, which opened in Vienna in 1864. In 1868, in cooperation with the Vienna museum, the Prague
Chamber of Trade and Commerce held an exhibition on
Žofín Island of objects obtained from the Exposition Universelle d'Art et d'Industrie de 1867—
International Exposition (1867)—supplemented by historical arts and crafts mostly from the collection of Vojtěch Lanna, who became the museum's most important donor and sponsor. In a period when funds and suitable buildings were hard to find, the promise of the exhibition area in the
Rudolfinum (the House of the Artists) also contributed greatly to the birth of the museum. == Past exhibitions ==