Ossolineum Inaugurated the Year of Count Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński
On Tuesday, 17 March 2026, the Year of Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński was ceremonially inaugurated in Wrocław. At the Ossolineum, on the bicentenary of the death of the founder of the National Ossoliński Institute, events were held to commemorate this outstanding scholar, collector, and visionary.
The inauguration program included the symbolic laying of flowers at Ossoliński’s bust, as well as the presentation of a panel exhibition and selected objects from his collection. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Tomasz Makowski, Director of the National Library and Chair of the Scientific Council of the National Ossoliński Institute. A few days earlier, he had also taken part in the ceremonial opening of an exhibition dedicated to the patron of the year at the Parliament of the Republic of Poland.
The ceremony began at noon in the courtyard of the Ossolineum at 37 Szewska Street. Flowers were laid beneath the founder’s bust by Dr. Łukasz Kamiński, Director of the National Ossoliński Institute; Dr. Dorota Sidorowicz-Mulak, Deputy Director of the National Ossoliński Institute for the Ossolineum National Library; and Dr. Tomasz Makowski. The event was attended by representatives of the authorities, the Council of Trustees of the National Ossoliński Institute, as well as guests associated with institutions that care for the national heritage, including Jolanta Ubowska, Director of the Tadeusz Mikulski Lower Silesian Public Library in Wrocław; Danuta Szewczyk-Kłos, Director of the University of Opole Library and Chair of the Executive Council of the Conference of Directors of Academic Libraries of Polish Schools; and Jędrzej Leśniewski, Director of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology Library.
The inauguration had a solemn yet open character. Students from nearby schools and residents of Wrocław were also invited to join in commemorating Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński.
In the Ossolineum Refectory, visitors could view the panel exhibition Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński (1754–1826) – Visionary as well as exceptional objects from the founding collection. The exhibits on display included manuscripts documenting Ossoliński’s scholarly and literary activity, a medal from 1824 commemorating the establishment of the National Ossoliński Institute in Lviv, wedding medals of Władysław IV Vasa and Cecilia Renata, objects associated with Stanisław Lubomirski and Stanisław Małachowski, as well as early printed works by Jan Kochanowski and Mikołaj Rej, and an original print of the Constitution of 3 May 1791.
More information about the Year of Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński.
