Discover museum exhibitions in Warsaw that shed light on lesser-known chapters of Poland’s twentieth-century history
This exhibition tells the story of the Freedom and Independence Association (WiN), the most important underground resistance organization operating in Poland after the Second World War. Visitors will discover the history of WiN and its members through unique artifacts, including deeply moving personal notes written by Łukasz Ciepliński to his family from prison and the military jacket of Hieronim Dekutowski (“Zapora”), both key figures in Poland’s post-war anti-communist underground.
Presented in the historic Pavilion XII, where opposition activists were imprisoned after the declaration of martial law on 13 December 1981, this exhibition takes visitors through one of the darkest periods of communist Poland. Original artifacts, photographs, and archival materials illustrate the reality of life under martial law.
This exhibition presents artifacts recovered from the burial pits at the “Łączka” section of Warsaw’s Powązki Military Cemetery, where victims of the communist regime were secretly buried in unmarked graves after their execution. These objects bear witness to the crimes committed by the communist authorities and to ongoing efforts to restore the identities of those who were silenced.
This exhibition tells the story of Fighting Solidarity (Solidarność Walcząca), a radical underground anti-communist organization active in Poland during the 1980s. It highlights the organization's activities in Poland and its international support network.
Dedicated to Archbishop Antoni Baraniak, this exhibition tells the story of his imprisonment and brutal interrogation at Mokotów Prison. Despite enduring torture and 145 interrogations, he refused to provide false testimony that would have been used by the communist authorities in their campaign against the Catholic Church. He became a symbol of courage, integrity, and unwavering faith.
