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Malbork Armoury. European weapons from the 9th to the 19th Century – a modernized exhibition
On 30 May 2026, the permanent exhibition ‘The Malbork Armoury. European Weapons from the 9th to the 19th Century’ is scheduled to reopen to the public at the Malbork Castle Museum. The refreshed exhibition focuses on what is known as the hall of mirrors – a space dedicated to defensive armour from the early modern period (16th-17th centuries). This upgrade combines technical solutions with groundbreaking substantive changes that significantly enhance the standing of the entire collection.
The use of a modern lighting system is not only going to better highlight the details of the artefacts but also emphasise their artistic qualities: engravings, etchings and structural forms. This change is expected to significantly enhance the visitor experience, and make the exhibition more accessible and visually appealing.
The highlight of the refreshed exhibition is the presentation of four newly acquired suits of armour, purchased at the end of 2024 at international auctions. Once conservation work is complete, they are to be displayed on specially prepared mannequins.
These are:
- Italian lancer’s armour (c. 1575),
- German three-quarter armour (c. 1570),
- English pikemen’s armour (1625-1640),
- Italian officer’s armour (c. 1650).
These are the first complete, original sets of armour in the museum’s post-war collection. Until now, the exhibition has relied mainly on individual items – cuirasses or helmets. The only ‘full suit of armour’ previously on display turned out to be a poorly made reconstruction.
The rearrangement of the room is not limited to the addition of new exhibits. The entire layout has been rethought to create a coherent narrative of the development of armour.
The tour begins with cavalry armour:
- rom chainmail, the history of which dates back to antiquity,
- through the development of plate armour in the late Middle Ages,
- to its heyday in the 16th century.
An important fact is highlighted here: although armour is associated with the Middle Ages, its greatest development occurred during the Renaissance.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a set of two exceptional suits of armour:
- a richly decorated Italian lancer’s armour from the 16th century,
- and an extremely rare full officer’s armour from around 1650, likely belonging to a high-ranking commander.
The latter is extremely rare – only four examples of this type remain in the world today.
The refreshed exhibition is also an important step towards academic rigour. Numerous reconstructions and misidentified items, which for decades had been presented as authentic artefacts, have been removed from the display.
One example is the ‘hussar’s armour’, which for years was believed to be a 17th-century original, but turned out to be a reconstruction. Similar corrections have also been made to other exhibits unrelated to European weaponry.
These changes coincide with the 10th anniversary of the exhibition’s opening and mark an important stage in the development of the Malbork Castle Museum’s collection of military artefacts.
Thanks to these changes, visitors can not only admire unique objects but, above all, understand their context, function and significance in the history of European military art.
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