National Archeological Museum
Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne
ul. Długa 52, 00-241 Warszawa
Director: dr Wojciech Brzeziński
tel. (+48 22) 831 32 21, 831 27 17
fax (+48 22) 831 51 95
www.pma.it.pl/main.html

Opening hours: Closed Saturdays and public holidays; open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm, Sunday, 10am-4pm.

The National Archeological Museum is housed in the former Royal Arsenal, an early Baroque building dating from 1638-43, expanded in the 19th century, redesigned in the Classicist style in 1816-20 and reconstructed after 1945.

The Museum opened in 1923 following the Organizational Order issued by the then Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment. During the inter-war period it also played the role of a centre for the preservation of archeological exhibits, taking over the holdings and responsibilities of the former National Group of Restorers of Prehistoric Objects and the archeological holdings of the former Ministry of Industry and Agriculture as well as private collections, notably a part of the holdings of Zygmunt Gloger.

The holdings encompass archeological excavations from the territory of Poland and lands historically associated with Poland, dating from the Paleolithic to modern times. They include Upper Stone Age objects from Jaskinia Ciemna and Okiennik, Piekary I-III; Middle Stone Age grave assemblies from Janislawice and Gizycko-Perkunow; Lower Stone Age ceramics, flint and horn tools and ornaments; numerous objects from the settlements of cmielow, Popudnia and others, from the burial grounds of zlota, Strzyzow and Mierzanowice and from flint mines, notably the one in Opatow.

The Bronze Age is represented by a rich collection of ceramics and metal objects of the Trzciniec and Lusatian cultures and by jar tombs from Kamionka Nadbuzna and other settlements; collective findings such as the treasures of Dratow, Stawiszyce and Ginetowka. The Iron Age is represented chiefly by exhibits of the Przeworsk culture, such as items from the princely graves of leg Piekarski and a part of the amber treasure from Bassonia. The early Middle Ages feature numerous materials from various settlements and forts, notably from Drohiczyn and Old Brodno and exhibits from the Tahancza grave-mound, while late Medieval and Modern archeological exhibitions include ceramics, tools, weapons and ornaments from a variety of sites across Poland. The section devoted to the archeology of the Balts contains a rich collection of exhibits from the Balt territory, from various times and cultures. On display are proto-Jacwing items from Szwajcaria near Suwalki, Jacwing exhibits from the forts of Jegliniec and Rostek, Lithuanian objects from Sudata, Miezany, Rekonciszki and zwirbia. There is also a numismatic collection of ancient, medieval and modern coins, metal bars and pats and silver jewellery from medieval treasures.

Permanent exhibitions: "Prehistory of Polish Lands"; "Biskupin: A Defence Settlement from the Older Iron Age"; "The ABC of Romanesque Architecture"; "The ABC of Gothic Architecture".

Browsing history