The Museum of Communism: Next to a McDonalds, across from Benneton

Walking down Revolucini avenue in Old Town Prague the sounds and visions of a country fresh to capitalism begin screaming at you from neon "T.G.I. Friday's" signs and Skoda's whizzing by blaring 50 cent. Place amidst the skyline of Zara advertisements and European Union flags is the outreached finger of Joseph Stalin, complete with Soviet dictator garb and a mustache that would be admired by future generations of dictators, demanding passerby's to visit the Museum of Communism.

Located off Wenceslaus Square, the Museum of Communism opened in 1996 as an explanation of communism through rare items, distinct to communism in Czechoslovakia. Two giant busts of Vladmir Lenin and Karl Marx placed next to the museum's merchandise greet you at the entrance, hinting to the museum's sarcastic tone.

Beginning with the 1935 Munich Conference, The museum is set up in accordance to the time line of Communism in Czechoslovakia. The Pre-Soviet area has a good deal of interesting pictures, but it isn't anything that can'?t be found in the numerous books on the subject. "I read a lot about Prague during world war two and saw similar pictures in the books" said Spanish Backpacker Carlos Speda. "Seeing Hitler in Prague Castle is unnerving, but definitely recorded."

For those left bored after recounting the last days of facism in Czechoslovakia, the next area's faint 1960's Soviet pop music surely sparked attention. In the following rooms cosmonaut uniforms, Soviet soda, and a recreation of a general store lined the walls to a small theater playing graphic video of Soviet plain-clothes police beating students during the Velvet Revolution in 1989.

"I had never seen video like this" said Austrian tourist Klaus Sprung. "You see pictures of the large crowd, but never anything so specific."

The museum concludes with a detailed profile of first non-communist President Vaclav Havel placed inches from more merchandise poking fun at dogmatic Soviet Principals. "I bought a post card that has a stereotypical farmer dressed as Ronald McDonald said American Student Taylor Duncan. "If there is a bigger symbol for the fate of communism in the Czech Republic, I can't find it".

The museum of communism is open Monday through Sunday, above the McDonalds, across from the Benneton, and next to the Lucerna Casino.