The Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland may inscribe a Polish museum into the National Register of Museums (Polish: Państwowy Rejestr Muzeów) in order to confirm the high level of its cultural activity and the importance of its collection. Only those museums that meet the required criteria – including importance of the museum's collection, a team of well qualified employees, an adequate building, and a permanent source of financing – may be entered into the register. Such museums are known as registered museums (muzea rejestrowane). A registered museum that no longer meets the criteria may be removed from the register.[1]
Registered museums enjoy certain privileges that other museums in Poland do not. A registered museum has the right of pre-emption for artefacts offered for sale by antique traders and at auctions. Directors of registered museums elect triennially from among themselves eleven out of 21 members of the Museums Council (Rada do Spraw Muzeów), which advises the Minister of Culture and National Heritage on matters related to museums.[1]
Among the 130 registered museums (as of 2021), the vast majority are state-owned. Sixteen of these are deemed to be of national importance and hence supervised directly by ministries of the national government – the Ministry of National Defence in the case of the Polish Army Museum and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for all the remaining ones.[2] The rest of the state-owned museums are either under the supervision of local authorities of various levels (voivodeships, counties or communes) or are supervised jointly by a government ministry and local authorities. Additionally, one registered museum belongs to a state-owned university (the Jagiellonian University Museum) and one is privately owned (the Private Automotive and Technological Museum in Otrębusy).[3]
Warsaw, the capital and largest city of Poland, has the highest concentration of registered museums, numbering sixteen. It is followed by Kraków, with nine registered museums; Gdańsk, which is home to four registered museums; and further by Lublin, Łódź and Opole, with three each.[3]
Registered museums
English name | Polish name | Location | Owner or supervising body |
---|---|---|---|
Warsaw Royal Castle – Monument to National History and Culture | Zamek Królewski w Warszawie – Pomnik Historii i Kultury Narodowej | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
National Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Museum of the Zamoyski Family | Muzeum Zamoyskich | Kozłówka | Lublin Voivodeship |
Museum of the Kraków Salt Mines | Muzeum Żup Krakowskich | Wieliczka | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Polish Agrarian Movement History Museum | Muzeum Historii Polskiego Ruchu Ludowego | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Museum of Independence | Muzeum Niepodległości | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Museum of Polish Arms | Muzeum Oręża Polskiego | Kołobrzeg | Kołobrzeg County |
Museum of the Lubusz Region | Muzeum Ziemi Lubuskiej | Zielona Góra | Lubusz Voivodeship |
National Archaeological Museum of Warsaw | Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne w Warszawie | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Regional Museum of Rzeszów | Muzeum Okręgowe w Rzeszowie | Rzeszów | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
National Museum of Warsaw | Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
National Ethnographic Museum of Warsaw | Państwowe Muzeum Etnograficzne w Warszawie | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Majdanek State Museum | Państwowe Muzeum na Majdanku | Lublin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Gross-Rosen Museum | Muzeum Gross-Rosen | Rogoźnica | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
Wawel Royal Castle National Art Collection | Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki w Krakowie | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Castle Museum of Malbork | Muzeum Zamkowe w Malborku | Malbork | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Castle Museum of Pszczyna | Muzeum Zamkowe w Pszczynie | Pszczyna | Silesian Voivodeship |
Archaeological Museum of the Middle Oder | Muzeum Archeologiczne Środkowego Nadodrza | Świdnica | Zielona Góra County |
Ethnographic Museum of Zielona Góra | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Zielonej Górze | Ochla | Lubusz Voivodeship |
Lubusz Military Museum | Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe | Drzonów | Zielona Góra County |
Museum of Central Pomerania | Muzeum Pomorza Środkowego | Słupsk | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
National Prisoners of War Museum at Łambinowice | Centralne Muzeum Jeńców Wojennych | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
National Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum | Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau | Oświęcim | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Museum of the Origins of the Polish State | Muzeum Początków Państwa Polskiego | Gniezno | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Górka Family Castle of Szamotuły | Zamek Górków w Szamotułach | Szamotuły | Szamotuły County |
Museum of the Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Region | Muzeum Ziemi Kujawskiej i Dobrzyńskiej | Włocławek | Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Wilanów Palace | Pałac w Wilanowie | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Stutthof Museum | Muzeum Stutthof | Sztutowo | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
National Museum of Agriculture and Agri-Food Industry | Muzeum Narodowe Rolnictwa i Przemysłu Rolno-Spożywczego | Szreniawa | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Museum of Sports and Tourism | Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Regional Museum of Toruń | Muzeum Okręgowe w Toruniu | Toruń | City of Toruń |
Museum of Southern Podlachia | Muzeum Południowego Podlasia | Biała Podlaska | Town of Biała Podlaska |
Giant Mountains Museum | Muzeum Karkonoskie | Jelenia Góra | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
Vistulan Museum of Kazimierz Dolny | Muzeum Nadwiślańskie w Kazimierzu Dolnym | Kazimierz Dolny | Lublin Voivodeship and the town of Puławy |
Regional Museum of the Kalisz Region | Muzeum Okręgowe Ziemi Kaliskiej w Kaliszu | Kalisz | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Museum of the Chełm Region | Muzeum Ziemi Chełmskiej | Chełm | Town of Chełm |
Museum of the Międzyrzecz Region | Muzeum Ziemi Międzyrzeckiej | Międzyrzecz | Międzyrzecz County |
Lubusz Museum | Muzeum Lubuskie | Gorzów Wielkopolski | Lubusz Voivodeship |
Masovian Gentry Museum | Muzeum Szlachty Mazowieckiej | Ciechanów | Masovian Voivodeship |
Museum of Agriculture | Muzeum Rolnictwa | Ciechanowiec | Podlaskie Voivodeship |
Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum of Łódź | Muzeum Archeologiczne i Etnograficzne w Łodzi | Łódź | Łódź Voivodeship |
Industrial History Museum | Muzeum Historii Przemysłu | Opatówek | Kalisz County |
Regional Museum of Piła | Muzeum Okręgowe w Pile | Piła | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Archaeological Museum of Poznań | Muzeum Archeologiczne w Poznaniu | Poznań | City of Poznań |
Łańcut Castle | Zamek w Łańcucie | Łańcut | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
National Museum of Lublin | Muzeum Narodowe w Lublinie | Lublin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Lublin Voivodeship |
Museum of Opole Silesia | Muzeum Śląska Opolskiego | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
Museum of Opole Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Opolskiej | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
Asia and Pacific Museum | Muzeum Azji i Pacyfiku | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
Arts Museum of Łódź | Muzeum Sztuki w Łodzi | Łódź | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Łódź Voivodeship |
Museum of the First Piasts | Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów | Lednogóra | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Władysław Łęga Museum | Muzeum im. ks. dr. Władysława Łęgi | Grudziądz | Town of Grudziądz |
Museum of Kielce Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Kieleckiej | Kielce | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Holy Cross Voivodeship |
National Maritime Museum | Narodowe Muzeum Morskie | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Polish Army Museum | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego | Warsaw | Ministry of National Defence |
Museum of Rural Musical Instruments | Muzeum Ludowych Instrumentów Muzycznych | Szydłowiec | Masovian Voivodeship |
Museum of Łowicz | Muzeum w Łowiczu | Łowicz | Łowicz County |
Regional Museum of Sandomierz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Sandomierzu | Sandomierz | Holy Cross Voivodeship, Sandomierz County, and the town of Sandomierz |
Museum of Literature | Muzeum Literatury | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Masovian Voivodeship |
Museum of Western Masovia | Muzeum Mazowsza Zachodniego | Żyrardów | Żyrardów County |
Kashubian Museum | Muzeum Kaszubskie im. Franciszka Tredera w Kartuzach | Kartuzy | Kartuzy Commune |
Historical Museum of the Capital City of Warsaw | Muzeum Historyczne M.St. Warszawy | Warsaw | City of Warsaw |
Museum of Lublin Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Lubelskiej | Lublin | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Lublin Voivodeship |
Historical and Archaeological Museum of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski | Muzeum Historyczno-Archeologiczne w Ostrowcu Świętokrzyskim | Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski | Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski County |
Museum of the Kłodzko Region | Muzeum Ziemi Kłodzkiej | Kłodzko | Town of Kłodzko |
Private Automotive and Technological Museum | Prywatne Muzeum Motoryzacji i Techniki | Otrębusy | Mikiciuk Family |
Kashubian Ethnographic Park | Kaszubski Park Etnograficzny | Wdzydze Kiszewskie | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Regional Museum of Tarnów | Muzeum Okręgowe w Tarnowie | Tarnów | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Museum of Wałbrzych | Muzeum w Wałbrzychu | Wałbrzych | Town of Wałbrzych |
Podlachian Museum | Muzeum Podlaskie w Białymstoku | Białystok | Podlaskie Voivodeship |
Subcarpathian Museum | Muzeum Podkarpackie | Krosno | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
National Museum of Gdańsk | Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Museum of the Wieluń Region | Muzeum Ziemi Wieluńskiej | Wieluń | Wieluń Commune |
Zofia and Wacław Nałkowski Museum | Muzeum im. Zofii i Wacława Nałkowskich | Wołomin | Wołomin Commune |
Masovian Museum | Muzeum Mazowieckie | Płock | Masovian Voivodeship |
National Museum of Poznań | Muzeum Narodowe w Poznaniu | Poznań | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Warsaw Uprising Museum | Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego | Warsaw | City of Warsaw |
Ethnographic Museum of Toruń | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Toruniu | Toruń | Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Regional Museum of Stalowa Wola | Muzeum Regionalne w Stalowej Woli | Stalowa Wola | Town of Stalowa Wola |
Historical Museum of the City of Kraków | Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa | Kraków | City of Kraków |
Rural Architecture Museum of Sanok | Muzeum Budownictwa Ludowego w Sanoku | Sanok | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
Silesian Museum | Muzeum Śląskie | Katowice | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Silesian Voivodeship |
Museum of the Puck Region | Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej | Puck | Puck County |
Museum of Kashubian and Pomeranian Writing and Music | Muzeum Piśmiennictwa i Muzyki Kaszubsko-Pomorskiej | Wejherowo | Wejherowo County |
Museum of Warmia and Masuria | Muzeum Warmii i Mazur | Olsztyn | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
Archaeological Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Archeologiczne w Krakowie | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Polish Aviation Museum | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Regional Museum of Nowy Sącz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Nowym Sączu | Nowy Sącz | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Tatra Museum | Muzeum Tatrzańskie | Zakopane | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Ethnographic Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Krakowie | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Oporów Castle | Zamek w Oporowie | Oporów | Kutno County |
National Museum of the Przemyśl Region | Muzeum Narodowe Ziemi Przemyskiej | Przemyśl | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
Archaeological and Historical Museum of Głogów | Muzeum Archeologiczno-Historyczne w Głogowie | Głogów | Town of Głogów |
Regional Museum of Leszno | Muzeum Okręgowe w Lesznie | Leszno | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
Rural Architecture Museum and Ethnographic Park of Olsztynek | Muzeum Budownictwa Ludowego – Park Etnograficzny w Olsztynku | Olsztynek | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
Museum of Koszalin | Muzeum w Koszalinie | Koszalin | Town of Koszalin |
Regional Museum of Bydgoszcz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Bydgoszczy | Bydgoszcz | City of Bydgoszcz |
Nicolaus Copernicus Museum | Muzeum Mikołaja Kopernika | Frombork | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
Rural Culture Museum of Kolbuszowa | Muzeum Kultury Ludowej w Kolbuszowej | Kolbuszowa | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
Vistulan Ethnographic Park and Lipowiec Castle | Nadwiślański Park Etnograficzny w Wygiełzowie i Zamek Lipowiec | Wygiełzów | Lesser Poland Voivodeship and Chrzanów Commune |
National Museum of Szczecin | Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie | Szczecin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and West Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Oravian Ethnographic Park | Orawski Park Etnograficzny | Zubrzyca Górna | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
Historical and Ethnographic Museum of Chojnice | Muzeum Historyczno-Etnograficzne w Chojnicach | Chojnice | Chojnice County |
Museum of Northern Masovia | Muzeum Północno-Mazowieckie | Łomża | Town of Łomża |
Jagiellonian University Museum | Muzeum Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego | Kraków | Jagiellonian University |
West Kashubian Museum | Muzeum Zachodnio-Kaszubskie | Bytów | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
Rural Culture Museum of Węgorzewo | Muzeum Kultury Ludowej w Węgorzewie | Węgorzewo | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
National Museum of Wrocław | Muzeum Narodowe w Wrocławiu | Wrocław | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
Museum of Zamość | Muzeum Zamojskie | Zamość | Town of Zamość |
Museum of Papermaking | Muzeum Papiernictwa w Dusznikach Zdroju | Duszniki Zdrój | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
Central Museum of Textiles | Centralne Muzeum Włókiennictwa w Łodzi | Łódź | City of Łódź |
Museum of Architecture | Muzeum Architektury we Wrocławiu | Wrocław | City of Wrocław |
Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology | Muzeum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej Manggha | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Museum of Masovian Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Mazowieckiej w Sierpcu | Sierpc | Masovian Voivodeship |
Walery Rzewuski Museum of the History of Photography | Muzeum Historii Fotografii im. Walerego Rzewuskiego w Krakowie | Kraków | City of Kraków |
Regional Museum of Suwałki | Muzeum Okręgowe w Suwałkach | Suwałki | Town of Suwałki |
Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk | Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Gdańska | Gdańsk | City of Gdańsk |
Museum of Romanticism | Muzeum Romantyzmu w Opinogórze | Opinogóra Górna | Masovian Voivodeship |
Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała | Muzeum Historyczne w Bielsku-Białej | Bielsko-Biała | Silesian Voivodeship |
Military Museum of Białystok | Muzeum Wojska w Białymstoku | Białystok | City of Białystok |
Museum of Old Trade | Muzeum Dawnego Kupiectwa w Świdnicy | Świdnica | Town of Świdnica |
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews | Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, City of Warsaw, Jewish Historical Institute |
Frédéric Chopin Museum | Muzeum Fryderyka Chopina w Warszawie | Warsaw | National Frédéric Chopin Institute |
National Museum of Kielce | Muzeum Narodowe w Kielcach | Kielce | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Holy Cross Voivodeship |
Museum of the Second World War | Muzeum II Wojny Światowej | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Royal Baths Museum | Muzeum Łazienki Królewskie | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park | Górnośląski Park Etnograficzny w Chorzowie | Chorzów | Silesian Voivodeship |
Museum of the City of Żory | Muzeum Miejskie w Żorach | Żory | City of Żory |
Historical Museum of the City of Tarnobrzeg | Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Tarnobrzega | Tarnobrzeg | City of Tarnobrzeg |
Museum of Upper Silesia | Muzeum Górnośląskie w Bytomiu | Bytom | Silesian Voivodeship |
Formerly registered museums
The following museums have been removed from the register.
English name | Polish name | Location | Owner or supervising body |
---|---|---|---|
Museum of Hunting and Horsemanship | Muzeum Łowiectwa i Jeździectwa | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
Warsaw Railway Museum | Muzeum Kolejnictwa | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
References
Sources
- Ustawa z dnia 21 listopada 1996 r. o muzeach [Museums Act], Dz. U. z 1997 r. Nr 5, poz. 24 (1996-11-21)
- Rozporządzenie Prezesa Rady Ministrów z dnia 8 grudnia 1998 r. w sprawie wykazu instytucji kultury wpisanych do rejestrów prowadzonych przez ministrów i kierowników urzędów centralnych, nie podlegających przekazaniu jednostkom samorządu terytorialnego ze względu na ogólnonarodowy charakter zadań przez nie wykonywanych [Ordinance of the President of the Council of Ministers regarding a list of cultural institutions entered into registers maintained by ministers and chairpersons of national agencies which are not handed over to units of local governments because of the national importance of their tasks], Dz. U. z 1998 r. Nr 148, poz. 970 (1998-12-08)
- "Rejestry muzeów" [Museum registers]. Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej (in Polish). Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego. Retrieved 2021-12-10.