Museum of the Polish Bar Association

What to expect

One of the smallest museums in Warsaw - two rooms inside the Supreme Bar Council headquarters at 16 Świętojerska Street, on the border of New Town and Muranów. But what it lacks in floor space, it makes up for in the weight of its exhibits.

The museum was founded on 20 November 1975 at the initiative of attorney Witold Bayer and documents the history of the Polish legal profession from the late 18th century. The collection includes original legal robes (including Poland’s first design from 1930), legal incunabula from 1739, case files from landmark trials - the Brest Trial, the Eligiusz Niewiadomski case (the assassination of President Narutowicz), and the trials of Arthur Greiser and Jurgen Stroop. A separate section covers underground advocacy activities during World War II and educational materials from prisoner-of-war camps.

The oldest exhibit is a 1756 lawsuit over a land dispute. Among the more valuable objects: apprenticeship diplomas, medals, photographs and identity documents chronicling a profession that has served in Polish history as both a pillar of the rule of law and an instrument of resistance.

Note: The Bar Council headquarters on Świętojerska is undergoing renovation, and the Museum of Advocacy page run by the Polish Bar Council now invites visitors only to the Virtual Museum - it publishes neither hours nor terms for visiting in person. Treat the physical exhibition as unavailable until you confirm otherwise with the Bar Council office. The Virtual Museum of Advocacy, launched in 2018, is an interactive online exhibition narrated by winners of oratory competitions, available at adwokatura.pl.

Tips

• Do not plan a visit without calling the Bar Council first (22 505 25 00, nra@nra.pl). This is not a walk-in museum, and access to the exhibition is not currently confirmed.
• Free entry. A small museum curated by Dr Andrzej Stoga.
• 30 minutes is enough for both rooms, unless you are fascinated by legal history - then you might spend an hour over the documents.
• The Virtual Museum at adwokatura.pl is a good alternative if a physical visit is not possible. Sections: Origins of Advocacy, Second Republic, World War II, Communist Era, Famous Trials, People of Advocacy.
• Combine with New Town. Świętojerska Street is the heart of New Town - ideal for a walk before or after your visit.
• Accessibility: the museum is two rooms inside the Polish Bar Council headquarters, open by appointment only, and the operator has not confirmed step-free access - which is why wheelchair, stroller and elevator are all marked unavailable.

Getting there

Metro: Ratusz Arsenał (M1) - 3 minutes walk. The most convenient option.

Bus: Świętojerska stop (lines 116, 178, 180, 503, 518) - directly by the museum.

Tram: Muranów stop (line 26) - 3 minutes on foot.

By car: Paid parking zone with virtually no spaces near the Old and New Town. Public transport is the only sensible option.

Nearby museums

Independence Museum (62 Solidarności Avenue, 8 min walk) - Poland’s fight for independence from the 18th century onward. POLIN (10 min walk) - a thousand years of Polish-Jewish history in the Lahdelma & Mahlamaki building. Museum of Warsaw (10 min walk to the Old Town Square) - the city’s story across eleven townhouses.