This permanent exhibition invites visitors to explore the unseen world of the museum's storage, showcasing a carefully organized collection of ethnographic tools used in agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts, and trade. The display highlights the thought behind the museum's cataloging system and the treasures hidden behind the scenes.
The permanent exhibition 'Porządek Rzeczy' (Order of Things) offers a unique glimpse into the inner workings of the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw by opening its storage facilities to the public. Visitors can experience the cataloged world of the museum's archives, which are usually hidden from view. The exhibition displays an extensive collection of tools related to farming, animal husbandry, gathering, fishing, beekeeping, crafts, and artisanal work, with items dating from the mid-19th century to the 1970s.
Beyond the physical arrangement of artifacts, the exhibition incorporates modern technologies to enhance the visitor experience. Digital frames show archival videos of the stored objects in use, and a multimedia kiosk provides access to photos and articles about them. A central workshop table allows visitors to search for any exhibit item in the electronic inventory and access its scientific catalog entry. The exhibition also reveals other aspects of an ethnographer's work, such as field questionnaires, notes, research papers, and photographs. The classification system for the museum's objects was developed by Piotr Szacki, a distinguished museum professional who worked at the museum from 1962 to 2004.
