The first permanent exhibitions were gradually opened in this building starting in 1948. These initial exhibitions included cycling, cinematography, radio technology, the history of transportation and mining (in the form of a grandiosely built model of a coal and ore mine (1953)). Joining these later were electronics, metallurgy, astronomy and photography and film technology. Over time, the exhibitions were modified and improved. Still more were added in the 1970s: timekeeping, mechanical engineering, acoustics and soundscape (1989) and telecommunications (1999). All exhibitions were disassembled as part of the general renovations to the NTM building begun in 2003 that was geared toward basic repairs and expanding the exhibitions spaces to adapt the building to the original design by architect Milan Babuška.
The NTM building on Letná Plain in Prague currently offers five permanent exhibitions – Architecture, Building Engineering and Design, Astronomy, Transportation, Photo Studio and Printing.