Much has been said about how good it is that Poland became a member of the European Community 15 years ago. This significant anniversary means that it is also a time of reflection and summary for our museum. What have we achieved? Have we seized the opportunity for development? Or maybe the disadvantages outweighed the benefits?
Without any doubt, we can say that the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów has enjoyed the benefits of Poland’s membership in the European Union. The changes that took place, which may be considered civilisational, concerned both the approach to protection and security of the monuments that are part of the royal palace-garden complex, as well as making them available to the public.
The EU Structural Funds have contributed to this outcome by allowing a series of projects to be carried out. Thanks to them, work was undertaken in the following fields: renovation and adaptation, conservation, nature, digitisation, research, archaeology, education and information, and tourism.
It is worth mentioning that since 2005, we have received almost PLN 60,000,000 in grants from the European Regional Development Fund alone for the implementation of five multiannual projects.
If not for the support received under the EU subsidy, the currently implemented project worth PLN 11,000,000 would not have had a chance to start. For 15 years now, like other institutions, we have been the beneficiaries of an approach to European culture, the origins of which can be traced back to the “Founding Fathers” of the European community.
