Poland's oldest museum is about to close for a major revamp, and a special round of events will herald the hibernation.
The Princes Czartoryski Museum was originally founded in 1796, but like Poland itself, the enterprise has had a stormy history. For much of the nineteenth century, the collections were held in Paris, and during the communist era, many of the Czartoryski family were again compelled to live in exile.
The museum has functioned in Cracow since 1876, and a major overhaul is now about to start, taking the ensemble into the 21st century. The enterprise is back under the aegis of the Czartoryski family, although the museum is administered by the National Museum.
Starting on Friday 8th January, there will be extended visiting hours, and guided tours of the museums with authorities on the collection.
The famed Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci, may be currently on loan, but everything else is as it was, including Rembrandt's Landscape with a Good Samaritan. The last opportunity to visit the museum - for the time being - is on Sunday 10th, when doors will remain open until 8 pm.
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