Photos: Czech Museum clock awakens on first day of spring

Community members gathered Thursday at the National Czech & Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids to watch the orloj — North America’s only astronomical clock — play for the first time after being shut down for the winter months. The clock rang out at noon on the first day of spring.

Savannah Blake

Mar. 20, 2025 3:27 pm, Updated: Mar. 20, 2025 4:47 pm

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell smiles as she records the orloj clock awakening after its winter slumber at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. The clocked played at noon on the first day of spring. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Eve McClurg, 6, of Cedar Rapids shades her eyes as she looks up at the orloj clock at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Cheryl Rigel of Cedar Rapids smiles as she listens to Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell speak about the orloj astronomical clock at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. The clock “awakened” Thursday after being shut down for the winter months. The clock, which was unveiled after a $1.6 million renovation last year, plays music on the hour, and 12 figures depicting Czech and Slovak immigrants can be seen rotating through the tower. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell takes a video of the orloj clock playing for the first time at noon on the first day of spring after its winter slumber at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A crowd listens to Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell speak during the awakening of the orloj astronomical clock event at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Isabel Sherman shades her eyes from the sun as she watches the orloj astronomical clock play for the first time after being shut down for the winter months at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A crowd watches as the orloj astronomical clock plays for the first time since being closed for the winter season at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. The museum plans to host a celebration every year to mark the awakening of the clock in the springtime. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

The orloj clock plays music and has figurines rotate out every hour after being shut down for the winter months at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Lijun Chadima of Cedar Rapids, right, smiles as she takes a video of the orloj clock playing for the first time after being shut off for the winter months at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jersey Hajostek, 17, of Aledo, Illinois, left, serves her family friend Judy Wieskamp of Aledo, Illinois a kolache after watching the awakening of the orloj astronomical clock at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

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