Exhibition for the opening
What can be included in the collections of the Polish History Museum? How to show the history of a state and a nation spanning more than a thousand years in order to tell the story of what was most important and groundbreaking in it, yet without losing all the seemingly minor events and personal stories that complement the grand narratives with the memory and emotions of individuals or local communities?
Over the 17 years of the Polish History Museum’s existence, we have answered these questions by acquiring objects for our collection from many different sources. We have bought them at art auctions, in antique shops and from private collectors; we have received personal and family memorabilia from donors; and we have collaborated with numerous partners: state institutions, museums, heritage conservators, libraries, archives, foundations, associations and schools.
The exhibition enjoys the honorary patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage prof. Piotr Gliński.
Panorama of Polish history
Robert Kostro
Director of the Polish History Museum in Warsaw
Curators
Monika Matwiejczuk, Konrad Morawski, Konrad Pyzel, Rafał Waszczuk, Monika Żebrowska
Textual content
Piotr Gucwa, Robert Kostro, Monika Matwiejczuk, Konrad Morawski, Krzysztof Niewiadomski, Konrad Pyzel, Rafał Waszczuk, Monika Żebrowska
Specialist content proofreading
Robert Kostro
Exhibition design
WWAA: Małgorzata Bylica, Krzysztof Jakubów, Alina Markovska, Marcin Mostafa, Natalia Paszkowska, Marta Szadokierska, Dorota Wilczyńska
Graphic designs
Maciej Chodziński, Katarzyna Łygońska
Multimedia
Paweł Przybył
Exhibition coordination
Agnieszka Celeda, Aleksandra Rodziewicz
Conservation coordination
Aleksandra Wróbel
Proofreading of Polish-language textual content
Miłosz Niewierowicz
Translation and editing of English version
Stuart Dowell, Anna Kalinowska
Interviews for the exhibition
Urszula Urzędowska
Cooperation in organising the exhibition
Justyna Hanula, Joanna Kilian-Sztama, Kinga Klimkiewicz, Piotr Kołaciński, Wojciech Komorowski, Katarzyna Minchberg, Anna Piekarska, Michał Pietranik, Ewa Proniewicka, Adam Rębacz, Grzegorz Rogowski, Gabriela Sierocińska-Dec, Anna Smolińska, Agnieszka Sowińska, Piotr Tomczyk, Mariusz Walczak, Łukasz Wojciechowski, Albina Zięba
Co-financed by The Ministry Of Culture And National Heritage
Media Patrons
Telewizja Polska, Polskie Radio, Portal Dzieje.pl
Polish history in a nutshell
Some of the objects returned to Poland from abroad – most of them as a result of the dramatic events of the Second World War. Others rested for years in the ground or under water and then were excavated during archaeological works. All are now accessible to the public, some for the first time after many years.
We also draw the visitor’s attention to the events that shape our present. By asking questions about what is important to us here and now, we wonder how future generations will remember it and what the objects we show in the exhibition will tell them. For history is a never-ending process – just like the building of our collection.
