History of the Polish Post, 16th-21st century

The exhibition begins with the post as a royal institution and follows its transformation into a service open to the public. Covering the 16th century to the present, it connects postal administration with changes in the Polish state. It examines reforms and postal services under foreign rule. Objects are arranged in sections devoted to successive periods, placing them alongside the events to which they relate.

The 19th century has several distinct themes. One is postal infrastructure; another is the first Polish postage stamp, known as “Polska 1”. These offer two views of the same institution: the infrastructure used to handle mail and a small object associated with sending it.

Separate sections cover the First and Second World Wars. The interwar years, the Polish People's Republic and later postal history also feature. The exhibition thus extends beyond royal messengers and horse-drawn transport to changes in the postal service during the 20th and 21st centuries.