With a spot adjacent to Europe Square and access to one of the only stages on the Expo Site, the Czech Pavilion capitalized on its good luck in real estate to wow the crowds with a huge program of cultural events ranging from ballet performances, to literary events (Kafka is a focus), to contemporary arts and music events. The most important occured on Czech National Day, May 17th, when the ballet and over 150 artists took part in the celebrations.

With an exterior adorned by thousands of hockey pucks, the Czech pavilion's theme of "Fruits of Civilization" put the Czech Republic's best foot forward with plenty of displays concerning the country's storied history as an ancient Central European geographical and cultural crossroads where the earliest pottery was manufactured and the latest Hollywood blockbusters are filmed (thanks in part to the legion of castles dotting its photogenic landscapes).

Displays covered everything from Prague's ample UNESCO Heritage Sites, to Czech contributions to sustainable urbanism, nanotechnology and contemporary arts to sumptuous Czech cuisines (deer and wild boar were on the menu) and its 800-year-old Pilsner brewing legacy.

The 20 "imaginative presentations" included a "Czeknowlogy"-powered chair instantly creating unique, custom-made perfumes by reading visitors' emotional states; a "Czechoscope" flight simulator, interactive "children's fantasy" video wall, as well as displays of Czech fashion, crystal works and the "Lagrima" gold work.

The pavilion reopened in 2011 as part of an ongoing development in Huanghua, Hebei alongside the Slovak Pavilion.

More about the Czech Pavilion on ChinaTravel.net:

Czech Republic unveils Expo 2010 pavilion plans

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