Paleoart – The Boundary Between Science and Art

The exhibition at the Anthropos Pavilion of the Moravian Land Museum in Brno (Pisárecká 5) showcases the work of more than a dozen contemporary Czech and Slovak artists through paintings and models. These artists have dedicated their professional lives to scientific artistic reconstruction – known as paleoart. Many of the featured artists have been active in the field for years at the highest quality level, while the exhibition also introduces promising new talents gradually establishing themselves in public awareness. Some of the presenting creators seek to build on the artistic legacy of the world-renowned painter Zdeněk Burian (1905–1981) and continue the tradition of Czech scientific palaeoillustration, while others have forged their own path and achieved recognition abroad. The exhibition presents creatures from primordial seas and periods shortly before the arrival of humans – visitors can see, for example, the giant dragonfly Meganeura, the synapsid Edaphosaurus, dinosaurs, and woolly mammoths. Visitors can take an imaginary walk through Carboniferous primeval forests and swamps with enormous plants. The exhibition runs from 27 March to 31 December 2026. Open: Wednesday to Friday 9–17, Saturday to Sunday 10–17. Admission: full 80 CZK, reduced 50 CZK, family 170 CZK. The exhibition is also accompanied by a family workshop (30 May 2026, 14–17) with a guided tour and commentary by painter and illustrator Petr Modlitba, where visitors can try their hand at how reconstructions of prehistoric animals and humans are created – from skeleton through model to painting.