The largest city in eastern Poland can now boast a state-level cultural institution. The National Museum in Lublin – known as the Lublin Museum until 2020 – opened its doors to visitors following an official inauguration attended by the Minister of Culture. The museum is housed in the Royal Castle in Lublin, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, with a history dating back to the 12th century. It has served as the museum’s premises since 1957. Interestingly, from the November Uprising until the Stalinist era, the castle functioned as a prison. Today, guards are now responsible solely for ensuring that visits comply with health protocols and, of course, for safeguarding the priceless works of art. And there is much to protect – the Lublin Museum’s collection now comprises approximately 157,000 objects.
Delivering the new exhibition was a large-scale undertaking with a high degree of complexity. All works within a heritage-listed site of this calibre must meet the highest quality standards, and the final result must strike a careful balance between conservation requirements and the functionality of a modern exhibition, which makes extensive use of contemporary technological solutions and multimedia storytelling. Any visible alteration to the building’s exterior or drastic changes to its interior décor – which could disrupt its original composition – are out of the question. At the same time, the displayed art must be presented within a thoroughly modern exhibition context, which has evolved significantly in recent years. This presents an entirely different challenge compared to constructing an exhibition from scratch in a purpose-built, contemporary structure.
‘The final result of Everest5’s work is a 2,240-square-metre exhibition space featuring nearly 360 historic objects’.
The final result of Everest5’s work is a 2,240-square-metre exhibition space featuring nearly 360 historic objects. The museum’s narrative has been expanded to include 30 interactive stations. Everest5 supplied all multimedia components – LCD monitors, display projectors, audio equipment – as well as traditional exhibition elements, including both mobile and fixed display cases, among which are no fewer than 60 large-format display units. The Warsaw-based company can thus lay claim to a comprehensive delivery of the exhibition – from construction works, through technical solutions, to installation and finishing works. The outcome of these efforts has already been appreciated by the many visitors who have seen the renewed exhibition at the National Museum in Lublin since its opening on 6 March.
‘This is another major museum project delivered by Everest5’.
The works at Lublin Castle lasted two years, although, as the Museum’s Director, Dr Katarzyna Mieczkowska, notes, the full preparation period for this major investment spanned five years. The construction was funded with support from the European Union. This is another major museum project delivered by Everest5. The company will soon face further challenges of this kind, including work at the highly prestigious Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw.
