More than 415,000 people enjoyed the free offer of the twelfth “Free November in Royal Residences” campaign, which involved 11 museums located in the former residences of the kings of Poland.

Within the framework of the action financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the free offer was used by school groups, children and youth, seniors, as well as individual visitors, participating in visits to permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as meetings, lectures, conferences, workshops and museum lessons specially planned for November.

Eleven museums located in castles and palaces joined this year’s programme including: Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw; Wawel Royal Castle – State Art Collections; the King John III Palace Museum in Wilanów; Castle Museum in Malbork; Sztum Castle – branch of the Castle Museum in Malbork; Kwidzyń Castle – branch of the Castle Museum in Malbork; Royal Castle in Warsaw; Royal Castle in Poznań – Museum of Applied Arts branch of the National Museum in Poznań; Castle Museum in Sandomierz; Krakow Saltworks Museum Wieliczka in Wieliczka; and Lublin Castle – National Museum in Lublin.

The largest number (more than 135,000 people) visited the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Within the framework of the action at the Castle, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. it was possible to visit the Royal Route free of charge, including: The Grand and Royal Suites, the Sejm Rooms and the Postcards with a View of the Castle exhibitions, as well as a display of Titian’s painting ‘Portrait of a Young Man’. The Masterpieces Gallery was also available, along with the exhibition ‘From Nuremberg to Milan. On the Trail of the Best Armaments of Modern Europe’ and the Prince Józef Poniatowski Suite in the Copper Roof Palace.

Almost 104,000 guests visited the Wawel Royal Castle. Visitors were able to see the exhibitions: “Picture of the Golden Age”, “Crown Treasury” and “Representative Royal Chambers”. The last place on the podium went to the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw, which was visited by almost 70,000 people.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński