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Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum
20 Princes Gate, London SW7
The
Sikorski Museum was established at the end of World War II by the exiled Polish community in London who did not wish to return
home to a Russian controlled homeland.
This museum is named after General Wladyslaw Sikorski, 1881 - 1943, the war
hero and leader of the Polish government-in-exile.
Exhibits are labelled in Polish but visitors without knowledge
of Poland's role in World War II can take an English-language guided tour. The museum shows the struggle of the ordinary people
through the everyday items on display. A collection of paintings and drawings is in the main staircase.
The museum's
main collection is the 10,000 military items arranged in rooms dedicated to each of the armed forces. These include an Enigma
ciphering machine, cracked by Polish mathematicians.
The full-size model of Wojtke the 'soldier bear' adopted by Polish
soldiers as a travelling mascot is popular with younger visitors.
General Sikorski personifies the Polish national
spirit, and his writing desk, together with part of a collection of his personal and military effects, is an attraction for
Polish visitors.
The Polish Institute archives, documenting the wartime period, are used for academic research.
Admission
is free
The Opening Times are:-
Open Mon-Fri 14:00-16:00, First Sat each month 10.00-16:00,
Tel: 020 7589 9249 for details and appointments.
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The Sikorski Collection
This section of
the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum is concerned purel with General Wladyslaw Sikorski and falls essencially into three
categories. First there are his personal belongings - his ceremonial sword, his cap and uniform retrieved from the wreck of
the Liberator in which he met his death. Secondly, there is a collection, containing books, albums, pamphlets and volumes
of press cuttings relating to his life and activities. Thirdly, there is his wartime diary maintained by his aides-de-camps,
which subsequently served as the basis for a complete chronicle of events pertaining to the General's activities as Prime
Minister and Commander in Chief. This chronicle was compiled by the Institute's archivists. This section also comprises General
Sikorski's personal papers and official records and documents kept by the secretariat of the Prime Minister.
This site is not in any way related to The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum. We
simply wish to provide user of this site with the details of the said institute and museum. Thanks
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Below are some links that may be of interest to you.
Poland - the facts.
Poland by Wikipedia
Polish underground study trust.
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