thomas phifer-designed museum of modern art in warsaw opens with inaugural exhibition

Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw presents its opening exhibition

Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (MSN Warsaw) by Thomas Phifer and Partners opens its doors in the historic Plac Defilad, unveiling its inaugural exhibition, ‘The Impermanent: Four Takes on the Collection.’ The show offers four distinct perspectives on art history since 1950, marking the largest-ever presentation of the institution’s collection. ‘When we set out to build MSN Warsaw’s permanent home after the institution spent its first two decades as a roving museum, The Impermanent was precisely the kind of ambitious exhibition we wanted to be able to present,’ explains Joanna Mytkowska, Director of MSN Warsaw. ‘With a new building that matches the strength of our holdings, we now have a home that is perfectly suited to tell stories about the history of art that our collection can tell.’

The striking, light-filled structure of the MSN Warsaw anchors the transformation of Parade Square, contrasting with the towering Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science. This new space provides 4,544 square meters for exhibitions, a 150-seat theater, conservation studios, and a public forum that integrates the city with the museum.

all images by Filip Bramorski, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners, unless stated otherwise

all-white facade fronts Thomas Phifer and Partners’ building

Designed by the New York-based architecture firm Thomas Phifer and Partners, the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw responds to the architectural context of the city with its horizontal, low-rise structure, contrasting with the towering Palace of Culture and Science. Defined by its cast-in-place white concrete facade, crafted by local artisans, the building is a lasting presence, a result of meticulous craftsmanship. A monumental double-symmetrical staircase links the three levels of the museum, illuminated by a skylight above.

The ground floor remains open to the city while leading visitors into interconnected gallery suites above. These exhibition spaces, lined with European ash ‘city rooms,’ provide framed views of Warsaw through their windows. Varying in scale, the galleries feature terrazzo flooring, adjustable daylight modulation through louvres and scrims, and a roof conceived as a ‘fifth facade’ that infuses the interiors with diffused natural light. Encircling the museum, a continuous walkway connects public areas with the institution. Honey locust trees soften its urban impact, offering a gentle transition into the cultural space.

a monumental double-symmetrical staircase links the three levels of the museum

the exhibition offers four perspectives on art history

Founded in 2005, MSN Warsaw is dedicated to collecting, presenting, and interpreting international art produced since 1989. Its opening exhibition, dubbed ‘The Impermanent: Four Takes on the Collection’ offers a journey through the shifting landscapes of post-war and contemporary art, curated by Sebastian Cichocki, Tomasz Fudala, Magda Lipska, Szymon Maliborski, Łukasz Ronduda, and Natalia Sielewicz. Occupying the second and third floor galleries, the exhibition is organized into four distinctive thematic sections that interrogate the role of art in political, cultural, and spiritual debates. Banner: Engagement, Realism and Political Art highlights works such as Alina Szapocznikow’s Friendship (1954), partially destroyed in 1992, alongside artists like Nikita Kadan and William Pope.L, exploring the direct involvement of art in political discourse.

Synthetic Materialities: Body, Commodity and Fetish from the Cold War to the Present delves into the relationship between art, consumerism, and mass media, showcasing works by Sylvie Fleury and Isa Genzken, alongside artists from Eastern Europe and the Global South. Dark Planet: Art, Spirituality and Future Coexistence brings together artists like Miriam Cahn and Roman Stańczak to explore non-modernist traditions and spiritual practices. Lastly, Real Abstractions: The Autonomy of Art Against the Catastrophes of Modernity critiques the utopian ideals of modernism, with pieces such as Monika Sosnowska’s Façade, commenting on the collapse of modern architecture. With these four sections, the exhibition challenges the art-historical canon, offering a nuanced exploration of lost narratives and cross-cultural connections.

this new space provides 4,544 square meters for exhibitions, a 150-seat theater and more

more than 4,300 works compose the collection of the museum

The diverse holdings of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw include over 4,300 works spanning visual arts, graphic and industrial design, architecture, performance, and multimedia. Notable artists featured in the collection include Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alina Szapocznikow, Monika Sosnowska, Cecilia Vicuña, and Thomas Hirschhorn. Beyond fine art, the institution also preserves neon signs, posters, post-internet art, and archival materials from key Polish post-war art institutions such as the Foksal Gallery and the Experimental Studio of Polish Radio. Its collection further encompasses more than 1,000 avant-garde films, enriching its role as a cultural hub in Warsaw.

the museum unveils its inaugural exhibition, ‘The Impermanent: Four Takes on the Collection’

the show offers four distinct perspectives on art history since 1950

the roof is conceived as a ‘fifth facade’ | image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

Alina Szapocznikow, Friendship (Monument of Polish-Soviet Friendship) (1952) | image by Maja Wirkus, MSN Warsaw

MSN Warsaw is dedicated to collecting, presenting, and interpreting international art produced since 1989

the museum responds to the architectural context of the city | image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

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image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

 

 

 

 

image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

 

 

 

image by Marcin Czechowicz, courtesy of Thomas Phifer and Partners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

project info:

name:  Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (MSN Warsaw) | @msnwarszawa

architect: Thomas Phifer and Partners | @thomasphiferandpartners

location: Plac Defilad, Warsaw, Poland

area: 4,544 square meters

exhibition: The Impermanent: Four Takes on the Collection

dates: Banner: Engagement, Realism and Political Art and Synthetic Materialities: Body, Commodity and Fetish from the Cold War to the Present – February 21 to October 5, 2025
Dark Planet: Art, Spirituality and Future Coexistence and Real Abstractions: The Autonomy of Art Against the Catastrophes of Modernity – February 21 to August 31, 2025

photographers: Filip Bramorski | @filipbramorski, Maja Wirkus | @maja_wirkus_architecture.photo, Marcin Czechowicz | @marcinczechowicz_mobile