Photo from the Werner family collection
Exhibits
The Norblin Factory Museum tells the story of the place now known as Norblin Factory. The history of the plot of land located at 51/53 Żelazna Street in Warsaw began at the end of the 18th century. It was then that the land was purchased by Franciszek Ryx, butler and trusted man for special missions of the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski. On the land, Franciszek built villas with two outbuildings and established an English-style garden, fashionable at the time. His heir, bearing the same name and surname, Franciszek Ryx, nicknamed “Major” after the rank given to him in the Napoleonic army, extended one of the outbuildings by one storey to create a residential building.
Permanent exhibition
The permanent exhibition of the Norblin Factory Museum is based on four core trails: “Buildings and Architecture”, “Machines and Equipment”, “Products” and “People”. An additional trail combining the most important and interesting highlights of the core trails is “Norblin’s Factory in a Nutshell”, led by museum guides.
The most interesting and important trails are “Buildings and Architecture” and “Machines and Equipment”. They highlight objects within the historic Norblin Factory entered in the register of historic monuments. Equally interesting (although not based on objects entered in the register of historic monuments, an integral part of the Factory), is the “Products” trail, which presents the original historical products of the Factory. The “People” trail takes you on a walk through the factory streets and squares which have their patrons: historical figures connected with the Factory, after whom they are named.
Walking time along each trail, depending on the commitment and fitness of the visitors, should take between 50 and 90 minutes.
Temporary exhibitions
The most interesting and important paths are ‘Buildings and Architecture’ and ‘Machinery and Equipment’. It is on these that we can see objects that are elements of the historic Norblin Factory, entered in the register of monuments. Equally interesting, although not based on objects entered in the register of monuments and forming an integral part of the Factory, is the Products path, where we can see the original historical products of the Factory. The People trail is a form of walk through the factory streets and squares, which have their patrons – historical figures connected with the Factory, whose names they bear.
Visitors begin their journey through the history of this remarkable place from the end of the 18th century, when it was still owned by Franciszek Ryx, butler to King Stanislaw August, through the glory years of the Norblin, Buch Brothers and T. Werner plant, to the post-war activities of the plant, now operating as “Walcownia Metali Warszawa”.
The museum also presents the fate of the site after 1982, when factory production ceased. Visitors learn about the history of the Werner and Norblin families, profiles of the factory’s historically significant figures – including Franciszek Ryx, or Julia Keilowa – an outstanding inter-war designer who created for the most important Polish plating factories, and see an impressive collection of the then extremely popular wares.