The National Museum

The National Museum in Warsaw has a rich history dating back to its establishment on 20 May 1862, known originally as the "Museum of Fine Arts, Warsaw." It underwent a name change in 1916 to become the "National Museum, Warsaw," incorporating collections from various museums and cultural institutions such as the Society of Care for Relics of the Past, the Museum of Antiquity at Warsaw University, the Museum of the Society for Encouragement of the Fine Arts, and the Museum of Industry and Agriculture.

The museum's present location on Jerusalem Avenue houses an impressive collection and resides in a building designed by Tadeusz Tolwiński, constructed between 1927 and 1938. Before this, the museum was situated at ulica Podwale 15. In 1932, an exhibition of decorative art was inaugurated in the two earlier erected wings of the new building. On 18 June 1938, the modernistic edifice, purpose-built for the museum, was officially opened on the edge of Na Książęcem Park, originally established between 1776 and 1779 for Prince Kazimierz Poniatowski. During this period, Stanisław Lorentz took over as the museum director and played a crucial role in safeguarding valuable artworks during World War II.

However, the museum faced great challenges during the invasion of Poland and the subsequent Siege of Warsaw. The building suffered damage, and the collection was looted by the Gestapo, led by Nazi historian Dagobert Frey, who had compiled a detailed list of the most valuable artworks during official visits from Germany in 1937. The Gestapo presented Rembrandt's portrait of Maerten Soolmans as a gift to Hans Frank in occupied Kraków and shipped the remaining artworks to Berlin. After the war, Professor Lorentz, under the Polish Government's supervision, managed to recover many of the works seized by the Germans, but over 5,000 artifacts remain missing.

During the aftermath of World War II, the communist authorities nationalized numerous works of art of uncertain provenance, which were stored in Nazi German art repositories in Polish Recovered Territories in places like Kamenz, Karthaus, Liebenthal, and Rohnstock, among others. These items were included in the museum collection as "abandoned property" through decrees and acts in 1945, 1946, and 1958. Currently, the National Museum in Warsaw boasts an impressive collection of over 780,000 items displayed in several permanent galleries, showcasing various art forms, including ancient art, medieval art, painting, goldsmithing, decorative art, and oriental art, in addition to hosting many temporary exhibitions.

The museum has also been involved in archaeological missions, such as the "Polish Archaeological Mission 'Tyritake' of National Museum in Warsaw," which conducted works in Crimea from 2008 to 2013, and the "Polish Archaeological Mission 'Olbia," which started operations at Olbia, Ukraine, in 2016. These missions are headed by Alfred Twardecki, curator of the Ancient Art Gallery. In a pioneering move, the National Museum organized an exhibition entirely dedicated to homoerotic art, called "Ars Homo Erotica," in 2010. Furthermore, since the renovation in 2011–12, the museum is renowned for its modernity, featuring computer-led LED lighting that enhances the unique qualities of each painting and exhibit, making it one of the most contemporary museums in Europe.

In 1945, the National Museum expanded its scope by acquiring the historic Nieborów Palace in the village of the same name, making it one of its subsidiaries. During this time, the deputy curator at Nieborów was the writer Mieczysław Smolarski.

In 2012, the museum underwent a transformative change in its permanent galleries. Paintings from different eras and countries were arranged thematically, not chronologically, allowing easy comparison. Galleries were named: Ancient Art, Faras, Medieval Art, Old Masters, 19th-century Art, and 20th & 21st-century Art.

The Gallery of Medieval Art focused on religious artworks from the late Middle Ages, highlighting regional distinctions in Central Europe. Large polyptychs were displayed using innovative techniques, including the renowned Grudziądz Polyptych.

The Gallery of Old Masters, established in 2016, united various forms of pictorial art, showcasing artworks based on social functions and spaces, like court, church, and city culture. It emphasized artistic interactions between the South and North, reflecting the hierarchy of genres established by Renaissance art theory.

The Gallery of 19th-century Art featured key trends that shaped art during the nineteenth century, displaying works of Polish and other European artists, highlighting universal ideas and artistic experiments.

The museum's collections of modern and contemporary art were among the largest in Poland, including various forms of visual art and interactive experiences through mobile applications and augmented reality.

The National Museum in Warsaw houses a vast and diverse collection of approximately 830,000 art exhibits from both Poland and abroad, spanning various historical periods, including antiquity to the contemporary era. Among the treasures are paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, photographs, coins, and objects of applied art and design.

One notable section is the Collection of Ancient and East Christian Art, boasting around 24,000 exhibits. This collection stands as Poland's most significant and important of its kind. Notable pieces include frescoes from the Christian cathedral in Faras (ancient Pachoras in today's Sudan) and a remarkable assembly of painted Greek vases.

The origins of the Old European Painting Collection date back to 1862 when the Museum of Fine Arts was established. It began with the acquisition of 36 Italian, Dutch, and German paintings from the Johann Peter Weyer collection in Cologne. The museum later enriched the collection with masterpieces by renowned artists such as Pinturicchio, Cornelis van Haarlem, and Jacob Jordaens. Subsequent growth came through purchases, donations, and deposits. Among the notable additions was the paintings collection of Pietro Fiorentini, which was donated to the School of Fine Arts in Warsaw in 1858 and eventually transferred to the museum in 1879. Additionally, the collection expanded further with works from Wojciech Kolasiński's collection acquired between 1877 and 1896 and bequests from Cyprian Lachnicki in 1906, which included notable pieces like "Flagellation of Christ" by Pieter de Kempeneer, "Portrait of a Man in a Yellow Jerkin" by Hans Schäufelein, "Expulsion from Paradise" by Pier Francesco Mola, and "Academic Study" by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres.

Over the years, the museum continued to enhance its offerings, acquiring a significant collection from Jan Popławski in 1935, featuring highlights like the "Portrait of Admiral" by Tintoretto. In 1961, the museum added Gabriela Zapolska's collection, which included several paintings by Paul Sérusier. The Polish modern art collection gained international recognition with the purchase of "Portrait of Tadeusz Makowski" by Marcel Gromaire in 1959 and "Lassitude" by Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka in 1979, both of which are displayed permanently. The museum also proudly exhibits works from other renowned European artists, including Rembrandt, Sandro Botticelli, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Auguste Renoir, Gustave Courbet, Angelica Kauffmann, Luca Giordano, Mattia Preti, Joos van Cleve, Jan Brueghel the Elder, David Teniers the Younger, and Gaspare Traversi.

Notably, the gallery boasts an extensive collection of 19th-century Polish history paintings, many of which are revered within Polish culture for their vivid depictions of significant incidents from the nation's history.