The jury of the Versailles Prize (Prix Versailles) architectural award has also bestowed the title on six other newly-opened, or reopened, museums: in Chengdu, China; Giza, Egypt; Bhuj, India; Hiroshima, Japan; Apeldoorn, the Netherlands; and Manah, Oman.
One of the most prestigious architectural competitions, the Versailles Prize was awarded for the first time in the Museums category.
The building of the Museum of Polish History, located at the Warsaw Citadel, was designed by architects from the WXCA studio.
In a citation for the title of the World’s Most Beautiful Museum, the jury noted that “thanks to its location in the immediate vicinity of the Museum of the Polish Army and the Katyn Museum, the institution is even more strongly intertwined with the history of the country, being one of the largest and most modern museum complexes in Europe."
An official awards ceremony will be held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
The Museum of Polish History is a multifunctional public building: in addition to the exhibition area and rooms for the storage and conservation of artefacts, the 45,000 square metre site includes a concert hall seating 600, a cinema and theatre hall, a library, conference and educational rooms, catering facilities, and a viewing terrace with a spectacular view of Warsaw.
The museum’s core exhibition, showcasing the 1,000-year history of the Polish state and nation, is set to open in 2026.
(mk/gs)
