On 23 August, the eve of the Małopolska celebrations of Polish Aviation Day, the Museum hosted the ceremonial opening of the new permanent exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation” for invited guests. The event was attended by representatives of the Małopolska authorities, representatives of Polish civil aviation, as well as representatives of companies and institutions cooperating with the Museum in organising the new exhibition and the Polish Aviation Day celebrations.
The opening ceremony of the new permanent exhibition began at 18:00 – not only on the ground, but also in the air. Aircraft flew over the heads of the participants – including the Museum’s flying exhibit, a Yak-18. The host – Magdalena Opyd – invited guests to watch a film showing the process of creating the exhibition. Guests could learn not only about the motivations and mission guiding the exhibition’s creators, but also the scope of work that led to its completion.
After the screening, the Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, Tomasz Kosecki, welcomed the numerous guests, among whom were: Marshal of the Małopolska Voivodeship – Łukasz Smółka and Member of the Małopolska Voivodeship Board – Iwona Gibas, as well as outstanding pilots and glider pilots – Exhibition Ambassadors, representatives of Aero Clubs, Sponsors, Patrons and Museum partners.
Speeches followed – opened by the Museum Director, after which representatives of local government authorities took the floor: Marshal Łukasz Smółka and Deputy Marshal Iwona Gibas. Jerzy Makula – President of the Aeroklub Polski and Exhibition Ambassador – also appeared on stage, presenting the Museum Director with the Distinguished Activist of Sport Aviation decoration. Director Kosecki, thanking all individuals and institutions for their involvement, honoured them with commemorative diplomas and paintings.
The culminating moment of the ceremony was the symbolic ribbon cutting, which officially opened the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation” – the largest exhibition in Poland dedicated to civil aviation. The ribbon was cut by:
After the opening, guests toured the exhibition accompanied by Deputy Director for Research – Krzysztof Mroczkowski, who presented its concept and main themes. The exhibition, occupying over 3,000 m², is a comprehensive narrative about the history of Polish civil aviation – from pioneering attempts at flight to contemporary achievements in sport, design and service operations. Guests could share their impressions of the exhibition by signing the Commemorative Book of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków.
The evening culminated in the multimedia show “Polish Wings” – a mapping projected onto the facade of Hangar No. 5, which houses the new exhibition. The ten-minute projection transported viewers on an extraordinary journey through the history of Polish aviation, showcasing its triumphs and heroes in an impressive, modern visual setting.
The new exhibition is not only the result of many years of work by museum professionals, but also a tribute to the people, machines and institutions that for over a century have created the history of Polish aviation – with passion, determination and a dream of freedom.
More about the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation”, including a description of the available spaces and the most interesting exhibits, can be found HERE.
We invite you to view the photo report from the opening ceremony of the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation”:
The patrons and sponsors of the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation” are:
Platinum Patrons:
Gold Patrons:
Silver Patrons:
Sponsor:
