An international exhibition dedicated to mark the 230th anniversary of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Constitution of 3 May 1791 and the Mutual Assurance of the Two Nations
Exhibition Patrons
President of the Republic of Lithuania GITANAS NAUSĖDA
President of the Republic of Poland ANDRZEJ DUDA
Exhibition organiser
National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Exhibition co-organisers
Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Poland)
Royal Castle in Warsaw – Museum (Poland)
Exhibition partners
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Poland
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Lithuania
Polish Institute in Vilnius
This exhibition presents the processes of modernisation of the Lithuanian and Polish state – the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth – that took place during the reign of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–1795), showing how the epoch of the “gentle revolution” was born, the measures that were taken to strengthen the state, how the constitutional monarchy was created, how the concept of the nation changed and how the Homeland took on the meaning of a symbol of the nation's freedom. The title of the exhibition echoes the narrative that was entrenched in the second half of the 18th century in writing coming from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth about the homeland's welfare, seeking its prosperity and securing its sovereignty.
The genesis of the passing of the Constitution of 3 May 1791, its contents and fate are revealed in the exhibition from the perspective of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: initiators of the reforms are distinguished along with their activities in Lithuania, showing the scale of the reforms that were implemented, revealing the position of Lithuanian society in terms of the centralisation of the joint state, and highlighting the sustainability of the idea of the Union of Lublin, confirmed in the law on the Mutual Assurance of the Two Nations passed on 20 October 1791.
The exhibition consists of seven thematic parts, presented in a chronological-thematic order. The processes of state reform and centralisation are assessed in light of the texts of politicians, publicists, educators and preachers of the day in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, while the implemented reforms are illustrated using artefacts reflecting daily life in the voivodeships and rural districts (powiats) of Lithuania. The most important figures and their activities from the Constitution epoch are pointed out in each thematic part.
Exhibits owned by
Anykščių sakralinio meno centras
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, Polska
Bažnytinio paveldo muziejus
Biblioteka Książąt Czartoryskich, Oddział Muzeum Narodowego w Krakowie, Polska
Biblioteka Kórnicka PAN, Polska
Biblioteka Narodowa w Warszawie, Polska
Biblioteka Naukowa PAU i PAN w Krakowie, Polska
Biblioteka Uniwersytecka w Warszawie, Polska
Fundacja Zbiorów im. Ciechanowieckich, Zamek Królewski w Warszawie – Muzeum, Polska
Jonavos Šv. apaštalo Jokūbo bažnyčia
Jan K. Ostrowski, Polska
Kauno arkivyskupijos kurija
Lietuvos istorijos institutas
Lietuvos mokslų akademijos Vrublevskių biblioteka
Lietuvos nacionalinė Martyno Mažvydo biblioteka
Lietuvos nacionalinis dailės muziejus
Lietuvos nacionalinis M. K. Čiurlionio dailės muziejus
Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus
Lietuvos valstybės istorijos archyvas
Львівська національна галерея мистецтв імені Бориса Возницького, Україна
Львівський історичний музей, Україна
Muzeum Historyczne w Sanoku, Polska
Muzeum Książąt Czartoryskich – Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie, Polska
Muzeum Książąt Lubomirskich w Zakładzie Narodowym im. Ossolińskich we Wrocławiu, Polska
Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie, Polska
Muzeum Narodowe w Poznaniu, Polska
Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Polska
Nacionalinis muziejus Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės valdovų rūmai
Нацыянальны мастацкі музей Рэспублікі Беларусь
Panevėžio vyskupijos kurija
Parafia pw. Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny w Wigrach, Polska
Prince Maciej Radziwiłł, Polska
Raguvos Švč. Mergelės Marijos Ėmimo į dangų bažnyčia
Šiaulių „Aušros“ muziejus
Trakų istorijos muziejus
Turgelių Švč. Mergelės Marijos Ėmimo į dangų bažnyčia
Vilniaus arkivyskupijos kurija
Vilniaus universiteto biblioteka
Vilius Kavaliauskas
Vytauto Didžiojo karo muziejus
Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki
Zamek Królewski w Warszawie – Muzeum, Polska
Exhibition curator
Dr. Ramunė Šmigelskytė-Stukienė
Exhibition concept and plan authors
Dr. Ramunė Šmigelskytė-Stukienė, dr. Vydas Dolinskas, Marijus Uzorka
Exhibition coordinators
Marijus Uzorka, Gintarė Džiaugytė, Gintarė Tadarovska
Exhibition publishing coordinators
Dr. Živilė Mikailienė, Gintarė Džiaugytė
Exhibition restoration maintenance coordinator
Mantvidas Mieliauskas
Exhibition scientific and cultural program coordinators
Dr. Ramunė Šmigelskytė-Stukienė, Vytautas Gailevičius
Exhibition educational program coordinator
Lirija Steponavičienė
Exhibition marketing and information coordinators
Mindaugas Puidokas, Monika Petrulienė
Exhibition technical installation coordinators
Kęstutis Karla, Aurimas Ramelis, Saulius Marteckas
Sponsors
Lietuvos kultūros taryba
BTA
Media sponsors
LRT
Lietuvos rytas
Lrytas.lt
JCDecaux