1885
Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague founded by the Prague Chamber of Trade and Commerce

1885—1900
Museum housed in Rudolfinum

1897—1899
new building designed by architect Josef Schulz is under construction

1900
grand opening of the new museum building, exhibitions on the first floor

1906
Vojtěch Lanna donates his collection of glass, exhibitions on the second floor

1932
Gustav Pazaurek bequeathed his collection of glass, and together with Lanna’s this becomes the core of the now world-renowned Museum’s glass collection

1943
the Museum building is taken over for war purposes, collections are moved and hidden outside Prague

1949
the Museum is nationalised

1950
the Museum is merged temporarily with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Brno, permanent exhibitions are being prepared in the recently nationalised castles outside Prague (Castle Lemberk 1951, Klášterec n. Ohří 1952, Jemniště u Benešova 1953)

1959—1969
the Museum is merged with the National Gallery in Prague

1970
the Museum is re-established as a sovereign institution governed by the Ministry of Culture

1970—1985
Museum is closed to the public and undergoes a major rebuilding programme

1985
new permanent exhibitions of decorative arts from Renaissance to mid 19th century open

2000—2001
new permanent display Stories of Materials