Czech Ethnological Society

The Czech Ethnological Society (Česká národopisná společnost) is a professional association of scholars working in ethnology and cultural anthropology in the Czech Republic. According to its own account, the idea of founding such an association was conceived in 1891, and the society was established in 1893 as the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Society within the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its original purpose was to organize a large exhibition in Prague devoted to the traditional culture and vernacular architecture of the Czech lands, Slovakia and other Slavic countries — for which an entire village was built — and to publish an encyclopaedia. In 1904, following the opening of the Ethnographical Museum, where the collections gathered for the large Czechoslavic Ethnographical Exhibition held in 1895 were deposited, the society was renamed the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Museum Society. In 1922 the collections were transferred to the National Museum and the Agricultural Museum in Prague, which enabled members to develop their research and publication activities. Today the society is registered as a zapsaný spolek (registered association) affiliated with the Council of Scientific Societies of the Czech Republic, with its address at Národní třída 3, Prague 1. It is governed by a Main Committee and a set of statutes, and it maintains honorary members, collective members and partner societies. Its activities include conferences, seminars, exhibitions, book publications and a newsletter (Zpravodaj ČNS), as well as a student prize, an ethics code, annual reports and a donors' fund. It operates two standing commissions: the Commission for Vernacular Architecture, Settlements and Habitation, and the Commission for Folk Customs. It publishes the journal Národopisný věstník (Ethnographic Journal) and maintains a virtual research room with digitized journals and a bibliographic database.

The Czech Ethnological Society traces its origins to an idea conceived in 1891 to establish a professional association for ethnography in the Czech lands. It was founded in 1893 as the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Society in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. The society's original purpose was twofold: to organize a large exhibition in Prague covering the traditional culture and vernacular architecture of the Czech lands, Slovakia and other Slavic countries — for which a whole village was built — and to publish an encyclopaedia. The large Czechoslavic Ethnographical Exhibition was held in 1895, and the collections gathered for it were subsequently deposited in the Ethnographical Museum, which opened in 1904. Following the museum's opening, the society was renamed the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Museum Society. In 1922, the collections were transferred to the National Museum and the Agricultural Museum in Prague. According to the society's own account, this transfer enabled its members to develop their research and publication activities. Over the following decades the society evolved into a professional association of scholars in ethnology and cultural anthropology. In its present form it is registered as a zapsaný spolek (registered association) affiliated with the Council of Scientific Societies of the Czech Republic, with its registered address at Národní třída 3, Prague 1. It is governed by a Main Committee under published statutes, and it recognizes honorary members, collective members and partner societies. Its ongoing activities include organizing conferences, seminars and exhibitions; publishing books and the journal Národopisný věstník (Ethnographic Journal); issuing the Zpravodaj ČNS newsletter; awarding a student prize; maintaining an ethics code, annual reports and a donors' fund; and operating a virtual research room with digitized journals and a bibliographic database. The society also maintains two standing commissions: the Commission for Vernacular Architecture, Settlements and Habitation, and the Commission for Folk Customs.

• 1922

  The collections were transferred to the National Museum and the Agricultural Museum in Prague, enabling members to develop research and publication activities.

• 1904

  Following the opening of the Ethnographical Museum, the society was renamed the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Museum Society.

• 1895

  The large Czechoslavic Ethnographical Exhibition was held in Prague; a whole village was built for it.

• 1893

  Founded as the Czechoslavic Ethnographical Society in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

• 1891

  The idea of establishing an ethnographical association in the Czech lands was conceived.

A learned society and professional membership association for ethnology and cultural anthropology in the Czech Republic, affiliated with the Council of Scientific Societies of the Czech Republic.

• Národopisný věstník (Ethnographic Journal)

• Zpravodaj ČNS

• Virtual research room (Virtuální badatelna)

• Bibliographic database

• Digitized journals

1. 1Aktualitynarodopisnaspolecnost.cz
2. 2About the Czech Ethnological Societynarodopisnaspolecnost.cz
3. 3Commissionnarodopisnaspolecnost.cz
4. 4Code of Ethicsnarodopisnaspolecnost.cz
5. 5Czech Ethnological Societywikidata.org