Czech National Bank Open Day

The Czech National Bank is to hold an Open Day for the general public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 12 June 2010. For the first time in four years, visitors will have a unique opportunity to see otherwise inaccessible areas of the Czech National Bank's Prague headquarters in Na Příkopě Street. The theme of this year's Open Day is How currency is made.

The route through the CNB’s headquarters will take in six stops providing a comprehensive picture of monetary policy decision-making and its context and explaining how changes to key interest rates affect the day-to-day life of everyone.

“We want to introduce the central bank to the public from the inside – to show them who performs monetary policy and how, how foreign exchange market trading is done, and even, for example, where and how non-cash payment orders from banks are cleared. We will also show visitors some areas that are usually inaccessible, for instance the conference room in which the Bank Board decides interest rates, and we will even open the door to my office,” said CNB Governor Zdeněk Tůma.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to view the permanent CNB Exhibition, which is located in a former strong-room. The exhibition recounts the history of money from flint to digital money and contains examples of counterfeits and money protection. The CNB Congress Centre will be devoted to presentations focusing e.g. on banknote production and anti-counterfeiting and to consumer protection in the financial markets. The event will also include thematic presentations by Bank Board members followed by a discussion.

As was the case four years ago, the CNB Open Day is deliberately timed to coincide with Prague Museum Night.

Detailed information about the CNB Open Day is being posted on the CNB’s website (www.cnb.cz) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com) at Den otevřených dveří České národní banky (Czech National Bank Open Day) starting on Monday 3 May 2010.

Marek Petruš, CNB Spokesman