Free Belarus Museum Marks Fourth Anniversary With European Award Nomination, Unique Auction, and Packed Season

The Free Belarus Museum in Warsaw is marking four years since its founding. Over that time, the institution has become one of the leading centers for Belarusian culture and the preservation of contemporary Belarusian history in exile. It is now competing for the title of Europe’s best museum.

“We are still not home. But we continue to preserve what must not disappear,” the founders of the museum say.

700 Artifacts and Thousands of Digital Records in Exile

Founded in exile on July 17, 2022, the Free Belarus Museum has, over four years of operation, assembled a unique collection of nearly 700 original artifacts documenting contemporary Belarusian history. Its archive also contains thousands of digital records preserving the memory of the events of recent years. The museum has become a true gathering place for those committed to preserving Belarusian national identity, organizing dozens of exhibitions, concerts, theatrical events, and educational discussions together with its partners.

Today, this achievement has received international recognition: the museum has officially been included in the longlist for the prestigious European Museum of the Year Award and the Council of Europe Museum Prize (EMYA 2027).

Collectible Stamps With Nobel Laureates’ Signatures: Charity Auction Launches

To mark the anniversary, Poland Post has issued a limited edition of collectible postage stamps featuring iconic objects from the museum’s collection. Today, July 17, the museum is launching a charity auction on eBay. Three sets of stamps signed by prominent figures are up for auction:

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski;

Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Sviatlana Alexievich;

Prominent philanthropist and descendant of the Radziwiłł noble family Maciej Radziwiłł.

All proceeds will go toward acquiring new artifacts and creating future exhibitions. More information about the auction is available on the freebelarus.museum website.

What’s Next for Visitors?

The museum has announced its upcoming program for August–October 2026:

• August (from August 5, 6:00 p.m.): The documentary-art project “2020: Minsk Speaks”. Visitors will experience an immersive video installation and an exhibition of original artifacts from private collections, recreating the atmosphere of solidarity and hope that defined the summer of 2020.
• August (from August 13): The return of the summer silent film festival “Silent Fever”, featuring live musical accompaniment in the museum courtyard.
• September (September 18–October 4): For the first time, the museum will become part of Warsaw Gallery Weekend (WGW+), Poland’s most prestigious contemporary art event. It will present Belarusian artist Aliaksandr Adamau’s project “hyperMother. Shared Breathing.”
• October (October 8–9): An international conference on researching the legacy of totalitarianism in Eastern Europe, where European and Belarusian experts will discuss approaches to preserving historical memory.

The auction, which will take place on July 17, can be accessed via this link.