Scientific conferences and seminars

Challenges in Editing the Letters of Queen Maria Kazimiera to Her Sons from the Sobieski Archives in Oława – Lecture by Anna Czarniecka, PhD and Anna Leyk (May 18)

Amsterdam, Hague, Antwerp – Sculptural Purchases for King John III Sobieski in the Correspondence Between Francesco Mollo and Antoine Moreau – Lecture by prof. Michał Wardzyński, PhD, University of Warsaw (December 12)

November 5–7. The conference is organised to stimulate discussion on purposes, forms and meanings of recalling the figure of Jan (John) III (as well as the Sobieski family), depending on the time and place, from the 18th century to the present day. We would like to reflect on the qualities and values related to the figure of Jan III that make him to this day, both at home and abroad, one of the most recognised heroes/protagonists in the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the history of Poland. How can we justify the fact that existing associations with the memory of Jan III are predominantly positive? What influenced the fact that the image of King Sobieski counts among the most commonly identified symbols and continues to be utilised to this day? We hope that the conference will provide an opportunity for an interdisciplinary exchange of insights on the phenomenon of the memory of Jan III, on testimonies of the different ways his figure is remembered in art and culture, in public space, and in material objects of everyday use.

August 3. A seminar during which Anna Ziemlewska PhD delivered a lecture.

May 23. A seminar dedicated to the main conservation goals and work carried out in one of the key rooms of the Wilanów Palace in the second half of 2023. The speakers included museum staff and external contractors involved in the project: Maciej Baran, Irma Fuks-Rembisz, Karolina Grams, Katarzyna Górecja, Anna Kwiatkowska, Elżbieta Modzelewska, and Michał Witkowski. They discussed, among other topics, the history of the site and research findings.

"Benedictine Nuns of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Palazzo Zuccari in Rome as a manifestation of the religiosity and founding activity of Queen Maria Kazimiera d'arquien Sobieska" – lecture by Jarosław Pietrzak, PhD (30 March)

In the Shadow of the Crown. Rome, Gender, and Operatic Pairs Dedicated to the Stuarts – Lecture by Aneta Markuszewska, PhD (May 18)

Research on the Czerniaków Encampment of 1732 – Lecture by prof. Jakub Sito, PhD (November 30)

January 31. The project "Erasmus+ Museum of Communities" was implemented in cooperation with the Hungarian Royal Palace in Gödöllő and the Italian NGO Stazione Utopia. The aim of the seminar was to summarise the experience gained during international meetings and to disseminate the educational tool developed, the narrative cube.

December 8th. During the conference, experts introduced museum employees to the theoretical context of the issue, and then presented an overview of good practices and tools, including comprehensive software for process modelling and optimisation. The starting point for the discussion was the experience of the Wilanów Museum, which has been effectively using such systems for project and documentation management for more than a decade.

December 15th. The aim of the conference was to inspire curators and teachers and artists to change the way heritage is presented, as well as to raise awareness of the potential of heritage as a space for social integration crucial to education.

March 16. The project " www.museach" is implemented by: the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów as a leader and beneficiary in partnership with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the National Museum in Lublin, the National Museum in Szczecin, and the Castle Museum in Łańcut. The main goal is to make digital resources of various kinds from many museums available in one place in a simple and free way, and thus improve access to cultural resources in digital form.

September 5-6. Within the framework of the project "Entrepreneurial Museum - Creative Museum", trips were made to foreign partner institutions, Latvijas Etnografiskais Brivdabas Muzejs( Latvia), Kulturhistoriska föreningen för södra Sverige (Sweden), Muzeul National Al. Satului "Dimitrie Gusti" (Romania), and Frilandsmuseet National Musem of Denmark (Denmark), to observe the work and applied solutions for the creation, conduct and organisation of craft workshops. During the seminar, reports from the mobile operations were presented, and the premiere of the film recorded as part of the project and creative writing workshops took place.

January 27th. The conference was dedicated to the former rural areas adjacent to the Museum. Specialists in the field of architecture, urban planning, and spatial management were invited to the discussion.

December 11th. A scientific seminar dedicated to the great grandfather of King Jan III in the online format. The speakers discussed the achievements of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski in the military and political fields, examining various forms in which his person was remembered and commemorated by his family and subsequent generations of Poles, as well as investigating the heritage of the Hetman in the 21st century. The project "How sweet and honourable to die for the motherland! Stanisław Żółkiewski in the memory of posterity” was funded by the Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport within the framework of the multi-annual programme NIEPODLEGŁA for the years 2017-2022.

– Polish-Italian garden seminar "Citri et Aurea" (online), dedicated to the conservation of historical gardens and citrus collections in Poland and Italy. Lectures were given by employees of historic residences: the Boboli Gardens in Florence, the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, the Museum in Nieborów and Arkadia and the Royal Łazienki Museum (September 3) – a seminar summarising the project "Citri et Aurea" and a study visit to Italy – a summary of the results of research of documents in the State Archive in Florence, a discussion of landscapes in historic interiors (February 4)

August 11. A seminar for trainees of the Garden Department devoted to the process of conservation and revalorisation of the Wilanów gardens, the work of a conservator of historic greenery and a historian of garden art, and types of documentation of landscape architecture objects.

Sculptural work of Andreas Schlüter and Stephan Schwaner – a lecture by Dr hab. Michał Wardzyński (6 February)

October 17-18. An international conference organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, the Italian Institute of Culture, and the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw.

October 4-5. An international conference crowning the "Collaborative Project of Conservation of the Nanban Table from the Collection of the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów" co-financed by the Sumitomo Foundation. The aim of the conference was to present the results of the maintenance of a unique Nanban-style table from the Wilanów collection. The meeting was also an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience regarding the maintenance of such items.

June 10-11. A national scientific conference co-organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów and KEN Pedagogical University in Kraków. The activity of Elżbieta Sieniawska in Wilanów is a turning point in the history of this place. The neglected residence and the declining Wilanów estate gained a new, wealthy owner, for whom the purchase also turned out to be a commitment to further architectural, artistic and economic investments in the residence. The result of the conference is the multi-author monograph "The activities of Elżbieta Sieniawska. Politics – economy – culture", edited by Bożena Popiołek, and published by the Museum in 2020.

"At the source of the collecting. Naturalia, artificalia and sobiesciana from the collection of the Gdańsk anatomist and physician Christoph Gottwald (1636-1700)" – a lecture by Dr Katarzyna Pękacka-Falkowska (9 May) – "The sculpture purchases of King Jan III Sobieski in the Netherlands and the Spanish Netherlands in the light of sources, Part 2: statues, reliefs and white marble elements from the studio of Bartholomeus Eggers of Amsterdam and Artus II and Thomas II Quellinus of Antwerp and Copenhagen" –a lecture by Dr hab. Michał Wardzyński (7 March)

Project implemented under the operational programme Knowledge Education Development 2014-2020 co-financed by the European Social Fund on 29 November. The aim of the project "I learn in order to teach. Development of social competencies through programmes for seniors in the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów " was to strengthen the key competencies among the group of Museum employees, to increase their potential to create programmes for adult recipients of culture, art and natural heritage, as well as participation in initiatives undertaken for the benefit of local communities. Within the framework of the seminar, workshops were held and reports from the implemented mobile operations were presented.

December 17th. A seminar where the organisation of exhibitions was presented from the perspective of curators, educators, designers, implementers, and museum visitors. The focus was on the issues of cooperation and involvement of all parties working on such projects. The symposium was co-organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, the Museum of Józef Piłsudski in Sulejów, and the Association of Museum Educators Forum.

November 21-23. The second international seminar of the series "Planning an extended museum" co-organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów and ICOM Austria, ICOM Czech Republic, ICOM Slovakia, and ICOM Poland.

October 5-6. An international conference during which speakers and listeners from Europe and the United States talked about the royal table as a laboratory of culinary and political passions of past eras or a manifestation of the power of taste as a tool of power. The event was co-organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and KEN Pedagogical University in Kraków, and the scientific council included Prof. Dr hab. Jarosław Dumanowski, Prof. Dr hab. Andrzej Kuropatnicki, and Prof. Fabio Parasecoli. The conference was organised as part of "A Place at the Royal Table " – a project of the Network of European Royal Residences on the occasion and under the auspices of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The result of the conference was a multi-author monograph entitled "The Power of Taste. Europe at the Royal Table", edited by J. Dumanowski, A. Kuropatnicki and F. Parasecoli, published by the Museum in 2020.

June 28. A seminar summarising the first part of an international research project under the auspices of ICOM, the OECD and the Ministry of Investment and Development, concerning the cooperation of museums with local governments and the socio-economic environment.

April 13. An international seminar dedicated to shaping the environment of residential museums.

"Archives and libraries of the Sobieski family" – presentations by Dr Dzianis Liseichykau, Jan Jerzy Sowa and Dr Krzysztof Kossarzecki (13 December) – "Organisation and functioning of the courts of Maria Kazimiera Sobieska" – summary of the research project of Dr Jarosław Pietrzak (15 November) – "A set of lead-tin figures from the Wilanów Gardens, sculpture imports for King Jan III" – a paper by Dr hab. Michał Wardzyński (9 October) – "Preservation of the "portrait of King Jan III Sobieski" from the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw – "A seminar with conservators and curators from the National Museum in Warsaw (27 September) – Polish-Russian relations in the time of Jan III Sobieski – historiography, sources and perspectives of research" – a lecture by Dr Kiril Kochegarov (March 26) - "Pierre des Noyers, a courtier of Queen Ludwika Maria and Maria Kazimiera" – a lecture by Dr Damien Mallet (Michel de Montaigne University of Bordeaux and Nicolaus Copernicus University) (9 March)  Seminars from the series "Aula Litterata – architecture in dialogue with literature" Seminar III devoted to the role of architectural issues in the publishing production of the Kraków Schedl printing house, operating in the years 1639 to ca. 1708 (April 6).

A seminar presenting the results of queries in the National Historical Archive of Belarus in Minsk and the Russian State Archive of Ancient Documents in Moscow and the work on the editing of the letters of Maria Kazimiera from the Sobieski Archives in Oława (November 21). A seminar on the conservation of the painting by Jan Reisner "Sermon of St. John the Baptist" from the Church of the Visitation in Kraków (November 14). A seminar on the unknown portrait of Jan III from collection of the Church of St. Joseph on the Kahlenberg in Vienna (3 August)

September 19-20. An international conference organised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, the scientific station of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Vienna, and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Researchers from Austria, Germany and Poland met in Vienna to discuss Jan III Sobieski. The figure of the Polish king, leader, politician and patron was treated as a starting point for talks about joint struggles with the Ottoman Empire and the shared memory of the heroes of these events.

September 14th. A debate aimed at bringing the local community closer to the activities of non-governmental organisations related to the protection of the landscape and historical objects of the Vistula slope.

September 12th. A seminar devoted to the idea of making museum storehouses available to the public. The event was accompanied by the opening of a new exhibition and warehouse space, the so-called Storehouse Gallery in Markoniówka.

August 22, – "Shaping the cultural landscape – Implementation of projects carried out in the Wilanów residence that fit into the transformation of the cultural landscape –the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów". "Copies and reconstruction works as measures of protection of objects and revalorisation of the historic artistic design of the Wilanów gardens". "Layout of the Palace and Park at Wilanów. The revalorisation process – selected activities from 2015-2017." "The Wilanów archaeological site as part of the cultural landscape – Protection of historical landscape and biodiversity".

A seminar where the work of Stanisław Lubieniecki "Theatrum cometicum", purchased for the Museum collections, was presented (June 14). "Poland-Genius Loci" (June 5), a seminar devoted to the love of collecting of Franciszek Potocki (1788-1853) (April 20).

June 8. A debate on the spatial planning of Wilanów and on the Museum's activities aimed at preserving the unique values and genius loci of the royal residence.

May 18-19. A national scientific conference organised by the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów. The aim of the organisers was to create a platform for presenting the achievements of young researchers of art of the early modern period.

May 16-17. A seminar on the functioning of the museum in space and the responsibility for the landscape in accordance with the ICOM resolution adopted in July 2016 in Milan. The event was organised jointly with ICOM Poland, ICOM Europe and the National Institute of Museology and Conservation.

Seminar II devoted to reading the architectural and ideological programmes of royal and magnate residences of the early modern era (April 26). Seminar I devoted to the "Brief science of the builder" dating from 1659 (January 31).

April 24-26. The conference was co-organised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the National Institute of Museology and conservation, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów in cooperation with the ICOM International Committee for Security in Museums (ICMS) and ICOM Poland.

December 14-15. A national conference initiating research on the literary heritage of one of the patrons of the Museum, Stanisław Kostka Potocki.

"Perspectives of research on the history of the Sobieski family in the framework of cooperation between the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów and the National Historical Archive of Belarus in Minsk" (December 1). "Archival materials related to the Sobieski family in the Windsor Royal Archives and the British Library in London" (November 17). "Szczuka's files in the collection of AGADES and their importance for the history of the art of the 17th and 18th centuries" (15 September). "Traces of Jan Sobieski's outlook recorded in Sebastian Gawarecki's diary of a journey through Europe" (16 June).

(August 31) "Protection of historical landscape and biodiversity. Programme and functional assumptions for the master plan (2015-2035) for the reintegration of the royal residence, its surroundings and farm facilities planned by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów". The Wilanów archaeological site as an element of the cultural landscape – protection of the cultural landscape in terms of care for architecture, with the presentation of the methodology for monitoring the state of preservation of monuments in the GIS database. "Reconstruction works as an element of the cultural landscape the method of monument protection and restoration of the artistic decoration of the Palace surroundings – the results of the implementation of large projects carried out as part of the programme of conservation and restoration of the Palace and garden complex in Wilanów."

(Continuation of the series of seminars started in 2015) June 24 A seminar which aimed to provide factual data that can contribute to the answer to the question of what was meant by the concept of land in the twenty years between World Wars One and Two.

June 21. A conference of the Forum of Museums and Historic Residences devoted to the possibilities of defending the value of public space by museums.

April 20th. A seminar organised by the Polish National ICOM Committee, the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, and the Pro Publico Bono Civic Space Institute. The meeting was of a working nature, introducing the definition of institutions and finances of the Museum.

March 17. A "Monumentum Sobiescianum" seminar aimed at presenting and discussing the results of conservation research carried out thanks to the cooperation of the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów and the State Historical and Architectural Reserve in Żółkiew.

A discussion of the functionality and presentation of the i-Art system for employees of the Royal Castle in Warsaw and the Castle Museum in Łańcut.

Workshops for representatives of museums and universities organised jointly with the Faculty of Geodesy of Warsaw University of Technology discussing issues related to the implementation of photogrammetric documentation in theory and the practice of the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów and the University of Technology.

September 29th. The debate "From a bird's eye view – about the feathered inhabitants of the Wilanów skies" took place within the framework of the project "Social Education in the urbanization-ecological conflict in the Wilanów Palace Museum" implemented thanks to support provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway within the framework of the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area.

September 15th. A scientific conference promoting activities within the framework of the "Open Museum" task in the project "Revitalisation and digitalisation of the only Baroque royal residence in Poland at Wilanów". Papers presented by: Prof. Michał Kopczyński, Prof. Jarosław Dumanowski, Dr Dorota Dias-Lewandowska, and Jan Wróbel, educator and publicist.

August 28. A seminar with directors of regional museums from Sweden. The purpose of the meeting in Wilanów was to present the Museum's experience in the use of the GIS (Geographic Information System) in the documentation, monitoring, and management of historical heritage. The seminar was conducted in English.

August 27th. The guests gathered at the meeting were able to briefly learn the history of the Wilanów gardens, lasting more than 300 years. The head of the Garden Department, Łukasz Przybylak, took them on this colourful verbal-visual journey. As a specialist in the conservation and restoration of historic gardens, he also brought the concept of restoration closer to the audience. Explaining this concept, he paid special attention to the meaning of the word "compromise" – it is permanently inscribed in this process, and it is a compromise between the requirements of history and the expectations of modern audiences.

August 25-26. Seminar organised in cooperation with the Pro Publico Bono Institute of Civic Space.

June 22. An international conference organised in cooperation with PKN ICOMOS. Huge and radical changes in the understanding of heritage, its functions and conditions of protection now force a thorough rethinking of the principles and forms of Heritage Protection. The discussion so far indicates that we are dealing with a paradigm shift in the whole discipline. This means that the future of heritage is an open project, and cultural heritage may not survive in the forms that conservation professionals have so far deemed appropriate. The principles and forms of the existence of cultural heritage are not predetermined – on the one hand, this is a threat, but on the other hand, it is an opportunity to shape the protection of heritage to meet modern needs and opportunities. This is the only way that cultural heritage professionals should view this issue.

June 8. The conference was organised jointly with itWORKS and Cultware.

April 16-17. A conference organised in cooperation with ICOMOS Polish National Committee. The theme of the conference organised in 2015 was the protection of the value of the monument during its adaptation. This is a common, current and important topic. The adaptation of monuments to new functions and their modernisation to new operational and technical standards is now a common activity. The absence of such actions is rare. In a situation where each monument is different and each adaptation has a different scope, these actions must be of an individual nature. This is why it is so important to share experiences and promote good practices.

February 12. Seminar "Monumentum Sobiescianum". The current course of conservation research at Żółkiew Castle has provided further arguments in support of the thesis that the conservation or revitalisation of the monument are situations with the characteristics of an experiment and that the 17th-century building, contradicting what is recorded in the archives about its history (or even more precisely: what was read from the archives), ceases to be a passive object of intervention, and becomes something of an accomplice to the whole process.

December 1-3. Co-organisers: the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Museum Educators Forum, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, and the National Institute of Museology and Conservation. The aim of the conference was to create a meeting place for people working in museums and cultural heritage institutions, experts in the field of broadly understood innovations and representatives of the creative entrepreneurship sector to present positions and initiate a discussion on the problems arising from the potential of the relationship between architecture, experience design, strategies for interpreting cultural heritage and ICT.

November 14th. A meeting in the framework of the periodic seminar "Monumentum Sobiescianum", dedicated to the figure of King Jan III. Speaker Konrad Pyzel discussed the depictions of the royal residence of Jan III at Wilanów in paintings by Canaletto.

November 7-8. A conference organised in cooperation with the European Institute of Food History and Culture in Tours, Nicolaus Copernicus University, and the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The purpose of the meeting of scientists associated with the Institute and specialists from Poland was to start systematic cooperation and exchange of results of research on the history of goose and related eating habits at a comparative level, as an important part of the European culinary heritage. The conference was held in English and French.

October 21st. The purpose of the conference organised by the Faculty of Historical and Social Sciences of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów was to show the achievements of King Jan III in the first decade of his reign, considered to be the period of his greatest successes, which culminated in the victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Social problems and political and military challenges faced by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its elites in the last quarter of the 17th century were also presented.

October 16-18. A conference devoted to the history of contacts between Poland and France from the end of the 17th to the end of the 19th century, organised in cooperation between the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, the University of Bordeaux, the University of Paris-Sorbonne, and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów. In particular, the speakers focused on diplomatic relations between the two countries, the role of dynastic marriages and related personal and family contacts, the study of the history of ideas and perceptions about both countries, and influence and exchange in the field of material culture and art, in particular the various forms of hybridisation of national cultures and the rejection of foreign patterns propagated in this field. The conference was held in French.

October 15-17. A conference organised in cooperation with the Institute of Art History of the University of Warsaw. Its purpose was to show the importance of the senses and sensory perception in the planning, design, as well as the functioning and reception of the early modern villa (ca. 1450-1800) contrasted with the materiality of architecture and nature. The conference was held in English.

July 10-11. An international conference organised in cooperation with the Koźmiński Academy and the City Offices of Warsaw within the framework of activities to support the construction of a network of contacts between entrepreneurs from the six districts of the capital covered by the programme "Capital Entrepreneurship Forum". The conference focused on communication between entrepreneurs and local administration, and discussed the possibilities of combining the expertise and experience of experts with the perspectives provided by modern technologies and the use of good practices of international cooperation.

June 23-24. A seminar organised in cooperation with the Institute of Civic Space and Social Policy. The topic of the meeting was errors and shortcomings in English-language school and academic textbooks on world history and European culture.

May 19-23. A seminar within the programme of study visits organised by the Centre for Information Technology Education and Computer Applications in Warsaw for international groups of teachers. During the Wilanów meeting, the educational programme of the Museum aimed at children and the role, functions, and places of new technologies in the educational process were discussed. The participants were also given a presentation on the multimedia tools available in the Museum.

May 8-9. An international conference within the framework of the research project "Johann Joachim Winckelmann and Stanisław Kostka Potocki. Masters and students" realised by the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, Winckelmann-Gesellschaft E. V. mit Winckelmann-Museum in Stendal and Franckesche Stiftungen zu Halle. The project includes research on the activities of Winckelmann and Potocki and their influence on the formation of cultural and museum education in Central Europe at the end of the 18th century and first half of the 19th century.

April 22. A scientific seminar presenting the results of the technological research project on wall paintings by Michelangelo Palloni in the garden galleries of the Wilanów Palace. This scientific conservation project was carried out in cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów.

April 14-15. The conference was organised in cooperation with the Polish National Committee ICOMOS-Poland of the International Council for the Protection of Monuments , the Committee of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów, under the patronage of the General Conservator of Monuments. The conference was devoted to various aspects of the function of historic objects including: the importance of the function in the overall value of the monument and how this can be assessed in different cases and evaluation systems of different stakeholder; change of function in the historic object and what rules should apply when changing the function; the limits of changing the function of historic objects and what the allowed limits of changing the function due to its values are, illustrated by good and bad examples.

April 3-4. A scientific conference devoted to the broadly understood activities of artists from the Lombard lakes area in early modern Europe, organised in cooperation with the Institute of Art History of the University of Warsaw, to celebrate the jubilee of Prof. Mariusz Karpowicz. Students and friends of the professor presented papers close to the topics undertaken by the honoree in his previous scientific career. Speakers from Poland, Italy and the Czech Republic presented the methodology of research on the phenomenon of northern Italian artists in Europe and various aspects of their activities.

February 20-21. A seminar with experts from the Network of European Royal Residences (ARRE), aimed at exchanging experience and good practice, as well as finding solutions to current problems related to the management of historical royal residences in Europe. The purpose of the meeting in Wilanów was to present the experience of partner institutions from five countries in the use of the GIS (Geographic Information System) in the documentation, monitoring, and management of historical heritage. The seminar was conducted in English.

September 17th. A seminar summarising the results of the project "Exchange of experience in Europe  – supporting the development of professionals from museum residences".

June 28-29. An international conference on travellers' reports on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of 17th and 18th centuries organised in cooperation with Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The topics of the conference concerned intercultural contacts and ways of presenting the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in French and German writings, as well as mutual relations between texts. The aim was to present a group of authors and recipients, identify and analyse recurring themes and images, and develop research methods and perspectives. The conference was attended by historians, literary and cultural experts from Poland, France and Germany. The languages of the conference were German, French, Polish, and English.

April 15-16. A conference organised in cooperation with the Polish ICOMOS National Committee in the Orangery of the Wilanów Palace Museum. This project, on a national scale, was aimed at the development and construction of network projects, as well as cooperation in the field of knowledge sharing and organisation of scientific projects and common work standards. The results of the event included a post-conference publication entitled "Valuing architectural monuments", presenting the most important topics discussed during the conference, in an edition of 500 copies.

October 12-14. An international conference organised by the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw, the Royal Castle in Warsaw and the Wilanów Palace Museum which took place in each of the three institutions. The topics of the presentation included conservation, urban planning, natural and sociological issues, as well as historical residences in Poland and Europe.

April 3. A conference on the accession of two Polish museums, the Wilanów Palace Museum and the Łódź Art Museum, to the Google project. The goal of the project is to make art objects available on the Google platform in high resolution and facilitate access to museum resources around the world. The objectives of the project and the challenges arising from the need to digitise museum resources were presented.

November 25-26. An event organised by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University and the Wilanów Palace Museum. The Polish-British conference and workshops for museum workers under the patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage took place at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw and at the Wilanów Palace Museum. It comprised another project from the cycle of events working towards a modern museum, systematically continued in the form of congresses, courses and seminars for museum workers. The aim of the conference was to share and compare the experience, methods of operation, and legal and economic assumptions that allow us to see the modern museum as a place of intersection of almost all spheres of modern civilization, of culture and science. During the conference, talks and papers were presented, as well as discussions of issues from the point of view of practice and the realities of museum life.

March 4. A conference organised by the Wilanów Palace Museum, the Polish National ICOM Committee, and the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw Institute of Museology . The first part included presentations showing from different points of view (museologist, psychologist, cultural historian and artist) what happens to the recipient, the viewer, the visitor of the museum when they enter this designed, museum world, where history, art, technology, nature have created unique cmplexes that are our heritage. Part two of the conference was based on a case study and the experiences of the Wilanów Palace Museum, which since 2006 has used multimedia in social communication, opened up knowledge resources and disseminated scientific achievements on the Internet via: www.wilanow-palac.pl. Introductory papers: Dr hab. Dorota Folga-Januszewska, Prof. Dr hab. Piotr Francuz, Prof. Dr hab. Ryszard Kluszczyński.

May 29. A seminar accompanying the exhibition "Amor Polonus or the love of Poles". Guests invited to the discussion: Fr. Prof. Jan Sochoń, Prof. Dr hab. Jan Miodek, Dr Zuzanna Grębecka, moderator – Jerzy Sosnowski.

October 1, the Polish Senate. A conference co-organised by the Senate Committee on Culture and Media. The first such large conference on issues related to museology organised mainly on the initiative of senator Barbara Boris-Damięcka. The event was attended by directors of Polish museums, scientists, and creators of civic cultural institutions. An introduction to the debate was presented by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski. Elżbieta Grygiel shared her experiences in creating cultural industries and addressed the topic of challenges for Polish cultural institutions. Finally, a panel discussion was held with the participation of Dr Elżbieta Hibner, Dr Monika Smoleń, Dr Maciej Zięba, Jan Ołdakowski, Władysław Ortyl, and Paweł Jaskanis. Above all, a modern management model, greater openness to social needs, and the necessary legislative facilitation were called for.

September 13th. A seminar co-organised by the Collegium Vigrense Foundation. Another Wilanów seminar dealing with the relationship between the spheres of culture and nature, which make up the genius loci of such places as Wilanów Palace. It was also another opportunity to stimulate reflection on historical awareness and civic education. The debate was attended by, among others, Dr hab. Jeremi Królikowski, Jacek Jakubiec, Fr. Prof. Stanisław Zięba, and Janusz Korbel.

September 11. Co-organised by the Polish Historical Society. A session organised on the occasion of the 325th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna. Prominent historians presented papers on the history and circumstances of the relief of the Siege of Vienna and the role in this of King Jan III.

June 10. Speakers and topics of papers: Andrzej Jankowski, "Organisation of the space of the residence of King Jan III in the light of archaeological research", Dr Wojciech Fijałkowski "A new look at the issue of artistic decoration of palace façades in Wilanów in the 17th century", Dr Jakub Sito "Palace galleries in the light of the correspondence of Elżbieta Sieniawska", Rafał Nestorow "Graphic patterns of stucco with scenes from the Metamorphoses of Ovid in the decoration of the side wings of Wilanów Palace", Rafał Szambelan "The expediency of using digital graphic documentation to recognise the state of preservation of the surface of architectural details of the façade of Jan III's Palace at Wilanów", Marcin Chmielewski "Research and conservation works in the South Gallery and the passage between the South Gallery and the White Hall on the ground floor of the Palace at Wilanów", Prof. Wiesław Procyk "King Jan III's sculptures; form and colour", Wojciech Bagiński "A project for comparative material studies of decorations and sculptures from the time of Jan III"; an attempt to explain the circumstances of the creation of the Equestrian Monument.

June 2. The main topic was the potential of Wilanów in the development of the metropolis and the city-forming functions of the Wilanów heritage. Also discussed were: Wilanów Cultural Park as a form of effective management of cultural and natural heritage; leisure economy in the development strategy of the Warsaw metropolis; offer for tourists, offer for residents of Warsaw; creative entrepreneurship (cultural industries) as a factor in the development of cities and regions.

May 30-31. A jubilee conference on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Revitalisation Forum. Issues related to the evolution of the approach of representatives of the public sector, local government, business and non-governmental organisations to the protection of cultural heritage within the framework of revitalisation programmes after 1990 in Poland were discussed.

March 3. A programme seminar of the Academy of Creative Entrepreneurship inaugurating a series on the topic of innovation in culture. An introductory presentation on the conditions for the use of European Union programmes was given by Elżbieta Hibner. Examples of innovative activities in education, applied sciences, management and cultural industries were also presented.

December 13-14. The main objective of the conference was to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and to integrate various scientific communities conducting research on the concept of genius loci and space in the humanities: architecture and urban planning, art history, psychology, geography of space, sociology of space, law, cultural history, philosophy, ecology, Polish studies, and linguistics.

December 13. The first of a series of club meetings opening a public debate on Wilanów, both as a place and as a community of residents. The inauguration of the club was associated with a conference dedicated to the genius loci phenomenon, which is one of the most important issues for reflection on its place in the programme, led by a team of employees and experts cooperating with the Museum. Seminar organised jointly with the Pro Publico Bono competition and the Collegium Vigrense Foundation.

November 24-25. A seminar organised in cooperation with the educational laboratory of the University of Warsaw and the historical magazine "Mówią Wieki". The participants were teachers of secondary schools, interested in innovative teaching methods and cooperation with the Wilanów Palace Museum. The seminar was conducted by experts of the OBTA – University of Warsaw Educational Laboratory under the direction of Dr Grażyna Czetwertyńska. Topics: methods of teaching history based on the example of a historic residence and valuable collections preserved in it, creation of scenarios of museum lessons in real space and in e-learning, historical competitions.

October 18-20. A conference devoted to early modern residential architecture, with particular emphasis on the aspect of Baroque villa culture. The conference was attended by about 60 people, 30 of whom were lecturers from Europe, the United States, and Australia. It was prepared in cooperation with the Institute of Art History of the University of Warsaw, and the papers presented at the session were published in a volume in 2008.

October 5-6. The conference was dedicated to the contemporary field of conservation-restoration of works of art in Poland. It combined a Polish part with the International programme Cultura 2000, as part of the European Union project "CESARE BRANDI (1906-1988), HIS THOUGHT AND EUROPEAN DEBATE IN THE 20th CENTURY" and joined the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Cesare Brandi's birth (1906-1988). Participants of the project included institutions from England, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and Italy.

April 23-25. The conference was a platform for discussion on principles and standards for the research, protection, conservation, restoration and social use of historic sites with variable material structure, such as: cultural landscape, parks, gardens, cemeteries, and other forms of designed greenery.

April 17. Presentations on historical reconstructions as cultural industries.

September 11-12. A two-day debate with the participation of representatives of university communities and social leaders dedicated to the heritage of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth intended by the organisers not only to become an instrument for conducting a debate on historical awareness and historical education, but also to find an answer to the question of how socially vital programmes can be implemented in historical places. Attended by: Prof. Stanisław Grodziski, Prof. Krzysztof Zamorski, Prof. Krzysztof Mikulski, Dr Jarosław Krawczyk, Dr Jeremi Królikowski, Dr Grażyna Czetwertyńska, Prof. Andrzej Sulima-Kamiński, Dr Leopold Zgoda, Henryk Woźniakowski and others.

April 24-26. The purpose of the conference was to determine the rules of conduct for parks, gardens, cemeteries and other forms of designed greenery in the situation of statutory restriction of interference with their material structure. The foreign guests, invited both from Western and Eastern European countries, presented methods of dealing with monuments of garden art in other European countries.

March 28. The meeting was devoted to digital technologies of registration of historical objects in museum and conservation practice and their role in the management of historical objects and conservation care.