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There is a hidden time machine in central Prague that will take you on a unique journey through 1,200 years of the city’s storied history from its founding to the present day in just under an hour.
The interactive experience – Back in Time – is the newest attraction at the iconic Máj Národní department store, bringing to life key historic events and legends linked to Prague and the Czech Republic in eight elaborately designed exhibition halls.
“Back in Time is an ideal starting point for a real tour of Prague or understanding an important part of Czech history,” says Václav Klán Jr., a member of the board of directors of Infinite X Prague, which oversees the Máj entertainment center.
During this thrilling journey through history, visitors are really drawn into the action, thanks to the attraction’s use of cutting-edge technologies and detailed physical installations.
Visit the court of Charles IV. Uncover the secrets surrounding the creation of the Old Town Astronomical Clock. Meet a strikingly life-like Golem, Rabbi Loew’s mystical monster. Fly – literally – through several centuries to watch the battles over the Czech Radio building in 1945 and 1968.
The 50-minute interactive presentation is intended for tourists as well as locals.
Tourists will get a quick overview of the city's history, while families will enjoy an authentic experience that mixes entertainment and education. Schools, meanwhile, can take advantage of an engaging and effective history lesson.
The tour begins with visitors boarding a “time machine” on the sixth floor of the Máj building and being introduced to their virtual guides – a pair of mischievous siblings who have decided to take their father’s time-traveling contraption out for a spin.
Spoiler alert: Of course, things go a little off course but to the delight of all participants.
The young duo – a boy named B (for “Back”) and a girl named T (for “Time”) – are played by Jakub Jenčík, who appeared in the film “Vyšehrad,” and Barbora Váchová, a member of the Drama Club in Ústí nad Labem.
B and T, after a few false starts and in a whirl of flashing lights, unexpectedly manage to transport themselves and their crew to the ninth century, where the legend of Libuše and the founding of Prague plays out in an adjacent hall followed by many other adventures.
The Back in Time experience is enhanced with advanced audiovisual technologies that engage all the senses. The exhibitions use, for example, holographic projections or 10-channel sound in all rooms. To make the experience more authentic, some halls even have typical scents associated with a specific historic time period dispersed in the air.
One of the most popular components of Back in Time is its 5D cinema equipped with a 180-degree projection and movable seats. Kraftwerk Living Technologies, the world's leading company in professional audiovisual system integration, is the general supplier for Back in Time. Kraftwerk created, for example, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion for Expo 2020 in Dubai and the audiovisual technology for the BMW Welt visitor center.
Back in Time ends with the “Hall of Fame,” a showcase of some of the country’s most prominent figures in politics, culture and sports through animations and special mirror effects, including Tomáš Masaryk, Václav Havel, Antonín Dvořák, Emil Zátopek, and Karel Gott.
An investment of more than CZK 100 million, Back in Time expands the already rich range of experiences and entertainment on the upper floors of the Máj building, which reopened to the public last year after an extensive renovation.
The building’s newest attraction can accommodate up to four groups of 28 people at a time and is barrier-free, so that wheelchair users or people with reduced mobility can also enjoy the experience.
While the tour is in Czech, Back in Time also offers English and German audio versions, with other languages like Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese and Korean to be added soon. The recommended age limit is 6 years or a minimum height of 110 cm. Tickets can be purchased online, directly on site, or at the kiosks in the entrance hall of the Máj entertainment center.
