Our History
The Expedition of Szolc-Rogoziński and Janikowski — 1882–1884
The journey undertaken by Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński and Leopold Janikowski to Guinea, Liberia, and Cameroon (1882–1884) went down in history as “the first Polish expedition to Africa.” The venture was financially supported, among others, by Henryk Sienkiewicz, and it aimed to establish “a second Free Homeland for emigrants from an oppressed country.” The travellers purchased land that, in 1884, was annexed by Germany, which established a protectorate over Cameroon. Janikowski brought numerous artefacts back to Warsaw, donating them to the Ethnographic Museum’s collection, and the expedition became one of the institution’s founding myths.
The Ethnographic Museum’s Organising Committee — 1886
In 1886, from the initiative of Jan Maurycy Kamiński, Director of the Warsaw Zoological Garden, an organising committee for the Ethnographic Museum was established.
After returning from the first expedition, Leopold Janikowski began collaborating with Kamiński and, during his second journey to Africa (1887–1889), collected objects with the future museum in mind. The collection he brought back was displayed at the Museum of Industry and Agriculture in 1890, and later as part of the “Permanent Ethnographic Exhibition” in 1892. In 1898, it was placed on deposit, and in 1902, it officially became the property of the Ethnographic Museum.
Official Opening of the Ethnographic Museum — 1888
The Ethnographic Museum opened on 14 April 1888 at the Warsaw Zoological Garden. The institution was given rooms in a small palace on Bagatela Street, with Stanisław Ciszewski appointed as its curator. The support of the ethnographer Jan Karłowicz was crucial to the museum’s establishment. Its development was made possible through numerous donations and the commitment of its founders.
A Rescued Collection — 1890–1892
At the beginning of 1890, the Zoological Garden was closed, and the museum collection faced the threat of being transported to St Petersburg. The founders of the Museum — a group of Polish scholars, philanthropists, and writers led by Jan Karłowicz — purchased the collection at their own expense. As the Tsarist authorities refused to legalise the new institution, on 19 November 1892, a “Permanent Ethnographic Exhibition” was opened at Krakowskie Przedmieście 17.
A New Location for the Collections — 1896
The Museum went through a series of relocations — from Krakowskie Przedmieście to the Frascati Palace, and then to Nowy Świat. In 1896, the museum’s collections were transferred to the Museum of Industry and Agriculture. Between 1896 and 1921, they were cared for by Helena Kamińska.
Anthropological and Ethnological Workshops — 1905–1913
From 1905 to 1911, an anthropological workshop operated under the direction of Kazimierz Stołyhwo, which later moved to the Warsaw Scientific Society. In 1913, an Ethnological Workshop was established to conduct research and process ethnographic collections regularly. Its initiator and head was Professor Stanisław Poniatowski.
Establishment of the Ethnographic Museum — 1921
In 1921, Eugeniusz Frankowski became head of the ethnographic department, and in 1922, the Ethnographic Museum was formally separated from the Museum of Industry and Agriculture.
A Large-Scale Exhibition — 1925
In 1925, a permanent exhibition was opened, presenting ethnographic collections from Polish lands in dedicated galleries. It was the first exhibition of such scale in the Museum’s history, made possible only after the restoration of independence. Subsequent galleries displayed collections from all continents. “To understand and truly know the culture of the Polish people, one must understand and know the cultures of all the peoples of the world” — this was the Museum’s guiding motto at the time.
Lost Collections — 1937–1945
President Stefan Starzyński allocated a permanent home for the Museum at 15 Podwale Street, yet the collections never reached the building. In September 1939, the Ethnographic Museum’s collections were completely destroyed, looted, or dispersed.
Rebuilding the Museum — 1946
After the war, the institution was reactivated as the Museum of Folk Cultures. It became the central museum for ethnographic collections, receiving objects transferred from other museums and collections, particularly non-European artefacts and items from various parts of Poland, including the so-called “Recovered Territories.” Its temporary headquarters was the eighteenth-century Brühl Palace in Młociny, Warsaw. Jan Żołna Manugiewicz became the first director in the Museum’s post-war history.
The First Exhibition After the War — 1949
The first post-war exhibition, “Polish Folk Costume,” opened on 22 May 1949. Shortly after, in 1950, the first collection of non-European artefacts was presented in newly built exhibition pavilions next to the Brühl Palace.
A Museum on Water — 1952–1967
For fifteen years, the Museum presented its collections on river cargo barges. The first voyage of the barge “Bat” (Whip) took place in 1952, when the exhibition of Mazovian folk art travelled along the Vistula from Warsaw to Włocławek, stopping in riverside towns along the way. In subsequent years, the barge “Złota Kaczka” (Gold Duck) reached 180 municipalities along the Vistula, Noteć, and Odra rivers, as well as in the Masurian Lake District.
The State Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw — 1964
In 1955, the institution adopted the name Museum of Folk Culture and Art. A year later, Professor Ksawery Piwocki became its director. In 1964, The Museum received the name it still bears today — the State Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw.
A New Location — 1960–1971
In 1960, the State Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw took over the building at 1 Kredytowa Street, where it remains to this day. The building, designed in the nineteenth century by Henryk Marconi, had previously housed the Land Credit Society. A long-term renovation soon began, during which outreach activities and exhibitions were organised in other museum spaces. The relocation started only in 1971, when all collections and departments were finally moved to the new premises. Between 1969 and 1973, the Museum was directed by Dr Kazimierz Pietkiewicz.
Permanent Home on Kredytowa 1 — 1973
The opening of the permanent exhibitions on 15 December 1973 marked the beginning of the Museum’s history at 1 Kredytowa Street. Between 1974 and 1989, Dr Jan Krzysztof Makulski served as its director.
A Century of the Museum — 1988
To mark the Museum’s 100th anniversary, two temporary exhibitions were prepared. One of them, presenting the African collection, was officially opened by Kwete M’Bokashanga, King of the Bakuba community from Zaire.
A National Cultural Institution — 1992
In 1992, the Museum was designated a national cultural institution. During the 1990s, attention increasingly focused on the need to modernise and enrich the exhibition offer, opening the way to new research themes. The Museum received several distinctions in the Museum Event of the Year competition. From 1990 to 2006, the Museum was directed by Dr Jan Witold Suliga.
A Local Government Cultural Institution — 1998
The State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw was entered into the State Register of Museums and became the owner of the building at 1 Kredytowa Street. At the same time, the institution obtained the status of a local government cultural organisation, with the Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship as its founding authority.
Building Modernisation — 2008–2012
In December 2012, a five-year modernisation process of the Museum was completed, covering 60% of the building’s usable space. During this period, the Museum was directed by Dr Adam Czyżewski.
EMYA Nomination — 2016
The European Museum Forum nominated the Museum for the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA), a prestigious distinction awarded to leading cultural institutions across Europe.
The Benin Bronzes — 2017
In 2017, the Museum purchased a group of Benin Bronzes from the private collection of Ryszard Bojarski. In 2020, one of the objects on deposit — a sculpture of an official from the Oba’s court, dated to the sixteenth century — was presented in the newly opened exhibition African Expeditions, Asian Ways.
Accessibility and Interspecies Relations — 2022
The Museum received the Živa Award in the “Openness and Accessibility for Visitors” category, awarded by the International Foundation Forum of Slavic Cultures. From 2021 to 2023, the Museum was directed by Robert Zydel. During this time, the campaign “Dogs Welcome — a Dog-Friendly Museum” enjoyed particular success.
A Decolonial Approach — 2023–2024
When Dr Magdalena Wróblewska took on the duties of director in 2023 (and was officially appointed in May 2024 following an open competition), a meeting was organised with members of the public interested in how Africa is represented in the Museum’s exhibitions. Discussions addressed how to enrich and nuance the narrative of the exhibition African Expeditions, Asian Ways. In 2024, the owner of the Benin Bronze on deposit withdrew the loan, and the sculpture was removed from the exhibition.
Against Stereotypes — 2025
The programme Against Stereotypes set the direction for the Museum’s activities. In 2025, it aimed to replace simplified European imaginings of Africa with a fuller and more accurate picture. The programme was created in collaboration with people connected to African cultures and histories, working in the fields of art, scholarship, exhibition-making, and social engagement. As part of this initiative, two temporary exhibitions — Afrotopias and Bleaching — were opened, and interventions on the permanent exhibition African Expeditions, Asian Ways began. Dedicated educational programmes accompanied all exhibition activities.
Innovative Practices — 2025
The Museum was nominated for the European Museum Academy Awards in the Art Museum Award category and was the only institution from Poland to reach the final shortlist. It received a special distinction for innovative action — Special Commendation for Innovative Practices. The jury recognised, among other things, the Museum’s critical self-reflection, its contemporary approach to ethnography, the creation of spaces for dialogue, and its commitment to accessibility for visitors.
Jury Statement:
Under the leadership of its new director, Magdalena Wróblewska, the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw has begun implementing a strategy of fundamentally transforming its institutional perspective through the programme Against Stereotypes, which encompasses all areas of activity — from temporary exhibitions and cultural events to the permanent display. In the latter, the Museum adopts a self-critical stance, applying what is known as “reparative museology,” and collaborates with contemporary artists and representatives of often marginalised communities whose cultures are represented in the Museum. The institution is also actively engaged in the European debate on the place and role of ethnographic museums, colonial history, prejudice, and stereotypes, with the aim of deepening understanding of cultural diversity.
