Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec
Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec is an institution that refers to the region’s centuries-old pottery traditions dating back to the Middle Ages. Its name and profile are rooted in the local production of stoneware ceramics. Today, it operates through two departments: Ceramics and City History. It continues the pre-war traditions of the Stadt Museum, which functioned between 1908 and 1945. The museum cooperated with the Royal Vocational School of Ceramics, which combined artistic education with technological knowledge. The school also served as a research center supporting the modernization of local crafts. During the Second World War, the museum’s collections suffered serious damage and were dispersed. After 1945, efforts began to rebuild the collection and recover surviving objects. Many artifacts required specialized conservation and reconstruction. The region’s long conservation tradition contributed to the development of the museum staff’s expertise. The institution offers a full range of ceramic conservation services, from cleaning and desalination to gluing and filling losses. It also prepares conservation documentation and recommends proper storage conditions for exhibits. The museum conducts archaeological research, field supervision, and secures and processes discoveries. It collaborates with scholars from the University of Wrocław on conferences and publications. The museum organizes educational workshops, training sessions, and activities promoting cultural heritage. It prepares temporary exhibitions in Poland and abroad and lends its collections to other institutions. Since 2014, it has had its own conservation studio that continuously monitors the condition of objects. Museum specialists regularly organize courses and conferences on best conservation practices. In recent years, projects have focused on the inventory and restoration of ceramic fragments damaged during the war. Currently, work is underway on a new interactive permanent exhibition and a center for historical pottery techniques, strengthening the museum’s role as a regional hub for knowledge and protection of ceramic heritage.
