Biskupin Archaeological Reserve Gets £18m Modern Pavilion Overhaul

The news in Polish

1. archeologiczny
   Związany z archeologią, czyli nauką badającą przeszłość człowieka poprzez wykopaliska i analizę znalezisk. ↩︎
2. nowoczesny
   Zgodny z najnowszymi trendami i technologiami; współczesny, nowy. ↩︎
3. akwarium  (n.)
   Zbiornik wypełniony wodą, w którym hoduje się ryby i inne wodne organizmy. ↩︎
4. multimedia  (n.)
   Połączenie różnych form przekazu, takich jak dźwięk, obraz i tekst, używane w prezentacjach lub wystawach. ↩︎
5. rekonstrukcja  (f.)
   Odtworzenie czegoś, co istniało w przeszłości, na podstawie dostępnych informacji i dowodów. ↩︎
6. wioska  (f.)
   Mała miejscowość na wsi, zamieszkana przez niewielką liczbę ludzi. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How much does the new museum project cost?

Question 2: When is construction due to finish?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
archeologiczny	archaeological
nowoczesny	modern
akwarium  (n.)	aquarium
multimedia  (n.)	multimedia
rekonstrukcja  (f.)	reconstruction
wioska  (f.)	village

Read the full story

Biskupin, one of Poland’s most iconic archaeological sites, is set for a major transformation, with a new modern museum pavilion planned as part of a 95-million-złoty investment project.

The reserve, located in the Kujawy-Pomerania region, has been a landmark in European archaeology since 1934, when a local teacher, Walenty Szwajcer, spotted wooden stakes protruding from Lake Biskupin and alerted Professor Józef Kostrzewski. It was subsequently discovered that peat and water had preserved the remains of a defensive settlement more than 2,700 years old — an exceptional example of so-called wet archaeology. The 38-hectare reserve is listed among Poland’s Historical Monuments.

The planned expansion centres on bringing the museum building up to current exhibition standards, including precise climate control and updated security systems. According to Bartłomiej Andrzejewski, a promotions specialist at the Archaeological Museum in Biskupin, the goal is also to improve visitor comfort and allow the safe display of more demanding exhibitions.

Among the most notable features of the new pavilion will be a large-scale aquarium designed to showcase the site’s wet archaeology without visitors getting their feet wet. The building will also feature interactive and multimedia stations intended to engage all the senses, as well as a green roof with vegetation and specially designed nesting spots for birds.

The total cost of the project is 95 million złoty, of which 65 million złoty comes from European Union funding under the European Funds for Kujawy and Pomerania programme. Initial construction work is due to begin this year, with the main building phase scheduled for 2027 to 2029.

Visitors should note that the museum pavilion will be fully closed during the two-year main construction phase. The new space is expected to open to the public at the end of 2029, though the site’s famous reconstructions — including a Lusatian culture settlement and a Piast village — will remain accessible throughout.