The inauguration ceremony took place at the new institution’s headquarters in the historic Warsaw Citadel fortress on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
President Andrzej Duda noted in his speech that the Polish History Museum had been conceived by one of his predecessors, the late Lech Kaczyński.
Duda said: “President Kaczyński regarded it [the creation of the museum] as one of the main missions for those who are responsible for Poland for the sake of future generations.”
The president added the Polish History Museum had been formally instituted in 2006 and work on the new museum was completed under the current government.
Duda also stressed that the new museum was situated in the 19th century Warsaw Citadel fortress, “an extremely important and symbolic place in Polish history.”
He noted that the Warsaw Citadel had been built on the orders of then Russian tsar Nicholas I, and symbolised “80 years of efforts to subjugate the Polish people” by Russia, as well as the Polish people’s “will to liberate the nation.”
The president said that “it would be hard to find a better place to document the history of Poland.”
Duda stated: “This is now Poland’s biggest, most beautiful and by far the most modern museum.”
He added that the Polish History Museum would "shape the Poland of the future" that would be "ever stronger" thanks to "forward-looking" citizens who are also aware of the past, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the ceremony: “It is incredibly symbolic that the Polish History Museum was established on the site of the martyrdom of the Polish nation, where Polish patriots were murdered, mainly by the Russian invader.”
He added: “The Polish History Museum is not just a building but a symbol leading us to the future. History is the teacher of life. A truly told history of Poland is a reason to be proud and a weapon to fight for a strong and better Poland.”
The prime minister went on to say: “The history of Poland is one of the most beautiful national histories in the world. Over the last 100 years, Poles have influenced the fate of Europe, defeating the Bolsheviks and contributing to the defeat of the German ideology that was supposed to dominate the world.”
He added: “Finally, the Solidarity Movement, together with John Paul II, contributed to the overthrow of communism and the liberation of Eastern European nations from the evil empire.”
Morawiecki also said that the launch of the Polish History Museum indicated that Poland was “on track to rebuild its rightful place on the map of Europe and on the map of the world,” the PAP news agency reported.
The seat of the Polish History Museum is “a monumental building housing modern exhibition, conference, cinema and theatre rooms,” according to officials.
It also has a beautiful view of the Warsaw skyline, the prime minister’s office noted.
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Source: PAP, prezydent.pl, polskieradio24.pl