Museum of the City of Lódz

Muzeum Historii Miasta Lodzi

Museum of the City of Lodz has its seat in one of the most impressive buildings in Lodz, the former Palace of Poznansky. The palace along with its garden is located in the Nothern part of the city, in the close neighbourhood of factory buildings and labourer’s houses. Along with them, it forms an industrial-residential complex, typical for „the Polish Manchester”. The corner-storeyed brick dwelling house with clipped corner with free-standing buildings – ground floor dyeworks, wooden outbuilding, square and garden, which Izrael Poznanski bought in 1877, gave the beginning of this monumental building. The property has changed over time in the palace-garden complex, repeatedly transformed as the changing social status of the Poznanski's family. Building of residence, often being compared to the Parisian Louvre, served Lodz industrial bourgeoisie to achieve prestige and consolidate their identity.

Museum of the City of Lodz is an interdisciplinary facility, collecting antique items from many fields of social life, history, culture and art of the city and professional library with particularly valuable collection of prints connected with Lodz. Previous program activity shows that both historic exhibitions, especially those concerning art, and artistic events, which go beyond the local scope, make the Museum to be perceived as an open facility which meets social expectations and seeks its supporters. Reconstructed according to original purpose palace interior with partly saved furnishings and decor serves as exhibition and may also be used as a concert hall. Aside from superficiality of ceremonies and artistic events, we do the job which visitors have no idea about, although its results are visible at every turn. The result of this job are exhibitions, publishing, conducted  conservation works and obtained, inventoried and developed items which increase the museum collections.

The Museum has also ambitious plans for the coming years. Its main goal is accomplishment of facility management and its further revitalization program (restoration of hothouse, so called winter garden, full of exotic flora that was originally located on the second floor of the palace, acqusition of new souvenirs after well-known personalities to extend Pantheon of the Great Lodz Citizens).

The Museum spreads cultural, artistic and aesthetic values and shapes cognitive sensitivity by informing about collected sets and enabling contact with them. Teaching through enjoyment and being in a somewhat  archaic, ”ancient” surroundings, full of mysteries, raises young people’s interest in the mechanism of the past and develops the habit of  communing with the culture and visiting museums or galleries. As a part of the educational program, the Museum workers lead classes based on exhibitions, using not only values of the exhibition, but also the most  interesting items. Transfer of knowledge about the history of Lodz in its various aspects as well as shaping proper attitude towards the past  and tradition of multi-cultural city and teaching tolerance for dissimilarities and religious differences are the essence of the  program.

The offer for the youngests was created as a part of the educational  program, adjusting the topics and methods to the age of children. The suggested activities allow for the transfer of knowledge and capacity  development, they stimulate the emotional development, curiosity and interests of children.