The historic Lubomirski Palace in Lublin is undergoing renovation with the aim of adapting the building to serve as the headquarters of the Museum of the Eastern Territories of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a branch of the National Museum in Lublin. The investment is being carried out according to a design by WXCA and Ralph Appelbaum Associates in the historic building on Litewski Square, which is listed in the register of monuments of the Lublin Province. Work began in September 2024, and the exact completion date is 2026.
History of the Lubomirski Palace in Lublin
The 16th-century Lubomirski Palace is one of the oldest residences in Lublin. At the end of the 17th century, the building was transformed into a Baroque residence according to a design by Tylman van Gameren, who worked for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski. The current form of the property is the result of a reconstruction that took place in the first half of the 19th century. It was designed by Henryk Marconi, who gave the palace a classicist appearance. The building is associated with important historical events, including the establishment of the Provisional People’s Government of the Republic of Poland under the leadership of Ignacy Daszyński on the night of 6-7 November 1918. In the interwar period, it housed important administrative and military institutions, and after 1945, the palace was used by the Maria Skłodowska-Curie University. Among others, the Faculty of Political Science operated within its walls.
Renovation project for the Museum of the Eastern Territories of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The winning concept for the modernisation of the Lubomirski Palace and its transformation into the Museum of the Eastern Territories of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was developed by the WXCA office as part of an architectural competition organised in 2019. The project involves the comprehensive adaptation of the palace interiors to serve modern museum functions, as well as the reconstruction of the historical interiors, the extension of the underground part of the building and the creation of interactive educational spaces. Ralph Appelbaum Associates is collaborating with the National Museum in Lublin on the exhibition scenario, while the WXCA team, which includes Szczepan Wroński, Katarzyna Dudek, Michał Czerwiński and Michał Sokołowski, is responsible for the entire project in terms of architecture and conservation of historic elements.
Museum of the Eastern Territories – scope of work
The ongoing work focuses on renovating the façade, modernising the roof, removing secondary interior partitions and restoring the historical spatial layout, especially on the ground floor and first floor. The preserved elements and details, stoves, supraports and stucco decorations will enable a faithful reconstruction of the former palace interiors. The extension of the underground part will significantly increase the usable area of the building and allow for the introduction of new, highly flexible exhibition spaces.
Investment schedule
The largest renovation of the palace in about two centuries began in the autumn of 2024. That was when the construction site was fenced off and work began. Prior to that, the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments had given its consent to change the use of the building to museum functions and had granted a permit for the investment. The work is expected to be completed after the full reconstruction and equipping of the facility with exhibition infrastructure and technical facilities. The plans mentioned the end of 2026, but this date is very optimistic.
“Journey through the Borderlands” in Lublin
The permanent exhibition, provisionally titled “Journey through the Borderlands,” will present approximately 1,000 years of history of the eastern territories of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, taking into account the multiculturalism and ethnic diversity of the region. The exhibition narrative will feature historical figures, including geographer Ludomir Sawicki, and the script is being prepared by an interdisciplinary team of curators and experts from scientific institutions in Poland and abroad. The museum is involved in collecting, protecting and cataloguing collections, conducting research and disseminating knowledge about the heritage of the eastern territories, which also includes the campaign to collect memorabilia and accounts from witnesses to history, “Saved from the Borderlands”.
Museum of the Eastern Territories of the Former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in Lublin
The entire investment is financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in the form of a budget subsidy for investment expenses. The total value of the project is over PLN 170 million, which makes it one of the largest cultural investments in the region. The palace was purchased by the Ministry of Culture in 2017, and after a tender was announced, a contractor was selected. The investment is being carried out under the supervision of a conservator, taking into account the requirements for the protection of monuments and the adaptation of the facility to contemporary standards of accessibility and functioning of museum institutions.
Design: WXCA
Source: zamek-lublin.pl, dzieje.pl
See also: Palace|Monument|History|Lublin|Architecture in Poland | Museum
