museum; nobility; aristocracy; economic history; social history; public involvement

Aristocracy belonged to the most considerable part of entrepreneurs at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, which is the era when museums in the Czech Lands were being founded. It was these museums that were founded by aristocracy. This study deals with forms of donations and patronage, i.e. with a specific way of public involvement of aristocratic entrepreneurs. Attention is paid particularly to the nobility, which meansennobled entrepreneurs.