Completed

Exhibition “Journeys to the east” has been opened just before the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Andrzej Wawrzyniak Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw. It enables visitors to come into direct contact with more than 1000 unique artefacts that are impossible to see elsewhere in Poland, providing an exciting insight into the richness and diversity of Asian cultures.

The display features extraordinary artefacts from Arab countries, examples of clothing and painting from the Qajar period from Iran, garments, exquisite jewellery and handicraft from Central Asia, Mongolian objects of practical and sacral use. The most numerous group are exhibits from many islands of Indonesia which include, among others, masks, theater puppets, costumes and traditional cold weapons like krises, which are believed to be endowed with magical powers.

 

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The exhibition is divided into five zones, taking visitors to different parts of the Asian continent.


The first gallery explores the culture of Southwest Asia.

Visit Southwest Asia
The artefacts presented in this part of the exhibition illustrate the centuries-old tradition of the region. Here we find an ancient brick with a cuneiform inscription from the 21st century BC, as well as exhibits related to Arab and Persian culture, which have been influenced by the new religion – Islam since the 7th century.

 


 

Next up is a room dedicated to Central Asia.
Visit Central Asia

Here, visitors travel through the cities of the Silk Road and under the arcades of a bazaar characteristic for the Muslim countries of this part of the world. By design, the Central Asian display explores both urban and nomadic cultures. Centuries of coexistence between both of these communities and their multiethnic nature have defined the specific character of the region.

 


 

Mongolia, a country mostly covered by the steppe and dessert, is the next stop on the journey.
Visit Mongolia

In this gallery you will find a genuine yurt that once belonged to Mongolian herders complete with all the furnishings. Displayed in the cases around it are objects of practical and sacral use.

 


 

Travelling further, we arrive in Indonesia, a country consisting of around 18,000 islands. This is the largest part of the exhibition.
Visit Indonesia

Apart from the most stunning examples of Indonesian masks, cold weapons, garments, and wayang puppets, in this gallery you can circle a Javanese pendopo, a wooden pavilion-like structure where concerts of classical Indonesian gamelan music and shadow play shows were held.

 


 

The exhibition ends with a “Sound Zone“, which is a display of 120 musical instruments hailing from different cultural regions and countries of Asia.
Visit ‘Sound Zone

Visitors can not only see the beautiful instruments in the Museum’s collection, but also listen to some of them, watch videos presenting how they are played, and inspect contemporary and archival photographs documenting Asian musical traditions.

 

How to visit the exhibition?

 

It is best to explore “Journeys to the east” with a map.

Get your copy of our special map of the exhibition to make the best of your visit and help you locate the key objects on display.

You can download the map here and print it at home, or collect a copy before entering the exhibition.

Tickets

Normal ticket – PLN 15
Reduced ticket – PLN 9
Large Family Card holders – PLN 9

The visit

Get ready for the visit.

More information about the Museum’s opening hours, temporary exhibitions, gift shop, Asian Library, and Orient Cafe.

Our Museum is accessible to all. Go to the ‘Accessibility’ section to find out more.

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