Not Over Yet? Máj’s Controversial Butterflies Could Stay Longer

The owner of the Máj department store on Národní třída is considering requesting an extension for the moving butterfly installation on the building’s facade.

Karel Samec, spokesperson for Amadeus Group, which owns Máj, confirmed the possible request.

The installation, designed by artist David Černý, was originally approved for just one year by Prague’s heritage conservation office. The butterflies were placed on the building on May 18 and 19, 2024, and Černý supports extending the display.

“At the moment, we are evaluating whether to submit a request to extend the placement of David Černý’s butterflies on Máj. The artist supports the extension, and we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors and the general public, including professionals,” Samec stated.

Not everyone welcomes the installation. The Klub Za Starou Prahu (Club for Old Prague), a civic association focused on heritage conservation, has been a vocal critic.

Its chairman, Richard Biegel, dismissed the artwork as “a typical example of kitsch.” Last year, the club criticized the city’s heritage office for approving the project despite the National Heritage Institute rejecting it.

The Máj department opened to the public on April 21, 1975, and in 2006, the Ministry of Culture designated it a cultural monument.

A massive renovation began in May 2022, costing 4.5 billion CZK. The store reopened to customers on June 24, 2024, offering nine floors of retail stores, restaurants, an interactive exhibition, and a rooftop observation terrace.

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