Scouting Museum in Warsaw

The Museum of Scouting in Warsaw is an institution established by the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego, ZHP) on June 6, 2001. Its mission is to collect, preserve, and promote knowledge about the history of scouting in Poland and the global scouting movement. The origins of the museum date back to the early days of scouting in Poland, with the first attempts to create such an institution taking place as early as 1916. During the interwar period, the idea gained a strong advocate in Wacław Błażejewski, but these plans were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. After the war, documents and memorabilia were collected at the ZHP Headquarters, forming the foundation for the eventual establishment of the museum. From 2005 to 2010, the museum was located in the Egyptian Temple within Warsaw's Royal Łazienki Park. Since 2010, it has been housed in the ZHP Headquarters building at 6 Konopnicka Street in Warsaw. The museum's main goals include protecting cultural heritage related to scouting, promoting scouting values, and organizing exhibitions—including traveling displays, which are a major attraction for visitors. Throughout its history, the museum has curated numerous exhibitions, such as "Independence Marked by Scouting" and "Emancipators or Strong Women—Polish Girl Scouts 1911–1949." The museum also has two branches, located in Pruszków and Ursus. In the field of publishing, the Museum of Scouting releases books and periodicals, including the *Biographical Dictionary of Scouts* and the annual scientific journal "Harcerstwo." Additionally, the museum is actively involved in educational activities, organizing workshops and educational sessions during scouting jamborees. The current director of the museum is phm. Dr. Paweł Bezak. The institution employs specialists in various fields, and its collection work is supported by a Scientific Council. An interesting fact is that the museum’s holdings include archival recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, which are now accessible thanks to digitization efforts. The Museum of Scouting plays a vital role in preserving the history and values of the scouting movement, making it a significant cultural landmark in Warsaw.