Through the Expert's Eye

About the event

Do you want to learn more about the works in the MNW collection? Or are you curious about the daily work of museum collection caretakers or the creation of curatorial exhibition concepts? Join meetings with MNW specialists who will talk about selected objects and their favorite topics. It's also an opportunity to ask your burning questions and discuss the creation of museum narratives. 📅 Participation rules: - When: one Saturday a month, 4:00 PM - Duration: approx. 60 minutes - For whom: youth, adults, and seniors - Location: MNW Main Building, permanent galleries, meeting point in the Main Hall - Event accessibility: no architectural barriers, induction loop - Participation rules: tickets priced at 30 PLN (regular) and 15 PLN (discounted) available at the ticket office and online from 10:00 AM, Tuesday – two weeks before the event 📅 Schedule: - July 19: Faces of the Ptolemies. Art of Hellenistic Egypt / Agnieszka Garbacz "Alexandrian kings" (as the Ptolemaic dynasty was disdainfully called) made their mark in history not only as the last rulers of pharaonic Egypt but also as patrons of science and art. Despite continuing Greco-Macedonian traditions, they consciously referred to Egyptian customs, especially those related to royal ideology. It is no wonder that in their capital, Alexandria, a fascinating branch of Hellenistic art emerged, combining Egyptian and Greek influences. Considering the building activities of the Lagids, it is not surprising that despite their best efforts to maintain Egyptian art standards, significant changes also occurred there. The meeting in the Ancient Art Gallery will shed light on the fate of this fascinating dynasty and its impact on Egypt's artistic activities during the Hellenistic period (approx. 323–30 BCE). Agnieszka Garbacz – archaeologist and museum professional, starting in 2024 as a staff member in the Coin and Medal Cabinet of the National Museum in Warsaw. Her research interests focus on ancient numismatics, old trade routes, and the Middle East and Egypt during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In her free time, she writes about archaeology and its fascinating history on the blog "Archeologia po godzinach." - August 23: Family in Photography / Agnieszka Barlak and Katarzyna Mączewska August is the month when we celebrate World Photography Day. On this occasion, we invite you to explore the "Family in Photography" exhibition (in the MNW Photography Cabinet) with its curators. The exhibition showcases the broadly understood theme of family and illustrates the changes that occurred in 19th-century society. We will see and discuss private, often intimate portraits of close individuals, ranging from classic family shots to commemorative photos of "chosen family" – friends or colleagues. Each photograph tells a unique story. Agnieszka Barlak – assistant professor in the MNW Photography and Iconography Collections, researcher of iconographic and manuscript collections at MNW. Curator of the "Family in Photography" exhibition in the Photography Cabinet in the 19th Century Art Gallery, open from August 6 to November 23, 2025. Katarzyna Mączewska – custodian and curator of the MNW Photography and Iconography Collections. Exhibition curator, organizer of scientific conferences, author, and scientific editor of publications on art history, heritage conservation, museology, visual archives, and Polish iconographic collections of the 19th and early 20th centuries.