Chopin Museum to Reopen to Public
The 1st of March 2010 marks the grand reopening of this year's most anticipated cultural landmark in Warsaw - the Fryderyk Chopin Museum, located in the Ostrogski Palace in the Powisle district.
The palace has been home to the Chopin Society since the 1930s, when the composer's manuscripts and documents were collected and eventually displayed in a small museum space. However, with 2010 being celebrated across the globe as the Year of Chopin (marking 200 years since his birth), the city of Warsaw decided to renovate this museum to an international, 21st century standard.
First, the museum's architectural framework was renovated, including the massive cellar system below. Finally, the exhibition space itself was completely redesigned and greatly expanded to cover the life, impact, and music of the great Romantic composer. The Palace's rooms have been filled with advanced interactive technology allowing for a truly personal experience for visitors to the museum, including audio installations, video displays, and a general hands-on approach. The palace's cellar has also been renovated to host classical concerts in its space.
Looking for something to do while waiting for the week to end? Make sure to stop by Wspolnota Polska at 64 Krakowskie Przedmiescie where a marathon 7-day concert is taking place from 22 February to 1 March - a concert dubbed "The Longest Birthday". The music of Chopin will be performed 24 hours a day by amateurs and professionals in honour of the composer's birth - the specific date of which is not known. Organizers of the Chopin Year decided to start from the earliest date speculated to the last - creating a week-long birthday celebration!
Check out a visualization of the Chopin Museum's renovation below: