ROYAL ŁAZIENKI MUSEUM in WARSAW

The Old Orangery formerly known as the Great Orangery, is a unique place. It was designed in the years 1785–1788 by the royal architect of the Italian origin, Dominik Merlini. It is the place where the 18th–century Royal Sculpture Collection and a unique collection of sculptures of famous Polish sculptors with exhibits dating from the 16th to 20th centuries can be admired. The east wing of the Old Orangery building holds the Royal Theatre – one of very few preserved authentic 18th-century court theatres in Europe and the only one of this kind in Poland.

To preserve the uniqueness and beauty of the Old Orangery with the Royal Theatre located therein and to make them accessible to Polish and foreign visitors, the Royal Łazienki Museum planned its renovation and restoration.

The awarded project The zone of muses and thoughts of Stanislaus Augustus – the renovation and restoration of the 18th-century Old Orangery with the Royal Theatre for the purpose of a new sculpture exhibition and implementing the cultural programme refers to the King Stanislaus Augustus’s concept of establishing the first modern museum in the Royal Łazienki.

The new exhibition of the Royal Sculpture Collection is related to the sensational discovery and restoration of the wall paintings at the Foyer and the Winter Garden located in the southern part of the Old Orangery. The preserved interior designs drawn up in the years 1787-1788 by the court architect of King Jan Christian Kamsetzer and the inventory dating from 1795 document the layout of exhibition planned in those times. It gives a unique opportunity to restore the original appearance of this place. The 18th–century plaster copies of antique sculptures were placed in the background of restored illusionistic paintings with architectural motifs in the Italian landscape in accordance with the preserved inventory of 1795.

The revitalisation of the Old Orangery and the opening of the Royal Sculpture Collection significantly extends the educational offer of the Royal Łazienki Museum. According to King Stanislaus Augustus who was the supporter of the Enlightment reforms and conscious patron of the arts, the culture and arts were one of the most important educational areas of a modern individual. These royal inspirations presented in The zone of muses and thoughts of Stanislaus Augustus gave grounds for the modern educational space and the place for creative activities. The multimedia room will serve for educational film presentations, and the workshop and the moulding room will serve as a place for sculpture classes and workshops.

The Old Orangery will be more accessible to persons with special needs. Blind and partially sighted people will be given the possibility of using audio-description and tyflographics, and through specially designed sculptures they will be able to know the beauty by touch. Individuals with ear dysfunctions will be able to enjoy – without any limitations – the educational and cultural offer of the Museum due to the application of inductive loops and video-transactions into sign language.