Moravian Gallery in Brno. The Moravian Gallery in Brno is the second largest art museum in the Czech Republic, established in 1961 by merging of two older institutions. Since 1963 the gallery has organized the International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno. The Pražák Palace contains the headquarters of the Moravian Gallery in Brno. The building was designed by Theophil von Hansen and built for the Brno politician Alois Prazak in 1873-1874. It houses both permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as a specialist library and study room, open to the public since 1883. An Augustinian monastery was built on this site in the mid-14th century, but was substantially rebuilt in a Baroque style by Moritz Grimm in the mid-18th century. Following reforms introduced by Emperor Joseph II, the building was converted into central offices for the local government and Governor's Estates authorities, and was used in this way until World War I. The Governor's Palace now houses a permanent exhibition of art from the Gothic period to the 19th century, and a 150-seat baroque hall. This building was purpose-built in 1882 to house the oldest museum of applied arts in Bohemia and Moravia, and extended six years later. After World War II the building was reconstructed according to plans by the functionalist architect Bohuslav Fuchs. A restoration project was completed in 2001. The museum houses a permanent exhibition of applied arts from the Middle Ages to the present day, including collections of glass, ceramics and porcelain, textiles, furniture and metalware, as well as a 70-seat lecture room. The villa consists of a reception area near the entrance, a social area on the ground floor containing the architect's exhibition hall, a work space on the first floor, and private quarters on both floors. The building was created by unifying two houses after they had been damaged by a fire in 1760, and was owned by several generations of Hoffman's family, including his father who served as mayor of the town for 36 years. Hoffman refurbished the house sometime between 1907 and 1911 after his parents' death. The house was confiscated in 1945 by the state, and later fell under the ownership of the local branch of the Communist Party. During this period the house fell into disrepair and the furniture was removed. The house is the property of the town of Brtnice, and has been under the administration of the Moravian Gallery since 1 January 2006. The Josef Hoffmann Museum is a joint branch of the Moravian Gallery and the Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna.