Night of Museums 2026

A group of people are standing in an open space, listening to the guide. In the background, the dome of the mausoleum is visible, illuminated from one side. The dark setting suggests that it is late in the day.
On 16 May, as part of Museum Night, we organised themed walks and unveiled a new temporary exhibition. This unique opportunity to explore the history of Majdanek proved very popular.

Various Topics and Perspectives

Three themed walks organised by museum guides shed light on the realities of the camp from various perspectives – the accounts of representatives of the numerous groups that made up the prisoner community, the story of Jan Michalak, whom the Germans deported to KL Lublin in early 1943, and the crimes committed at Majdanek by Anton Thumann – one of the most notorious torturers among the camp’s SS garrison.

The photograph shows two large groups of people gathered around museum guides. The people are gathered in an open space surrounded by greenery. In the background, a monumental statue can be seen on a concrete platform, accessed by a flight of steep steps.
The photograph shows a group of people in the foreground, their outlines blurred against an open space. In the background, in the distance, wooden watchtowers characteristic of concentration camp architecture can be seen.

New Photography Exhibition

The tour of the museum culminated in the opening of an exhibition entitled “KL Lublin 1944. Epilog", which focuses on photographs taken at Majdanek shortly after the final evacuation of the prisoners and camp staff. The documentary nature of the photographs is interwoven with the artists’ personal perspectives, combining artistic craftsmanship with the lens of war photography. The exhibition was opened by its curator, Krzysztof Stanek.

The photograph shows a man dressed in black holding a microphone. The speaker is standing sideways to the camera and facing an audience not visible in the photograph. In the foreground, a series of exhibition panels can be seen, including a dark orange title panel with black lettering: KL Lublin 1944. Epilog.
A photograph showing a series of exhibition panels, with a dark orange title panel in the foreground bearing the black inscription: KL Lublin 1944. Epilog.

At the close of the Night of Museums, we paid tribute to the victims of Majdanek by lighting a candle at the Mausoleum monument and observing a moment’s silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the camp.

The photograph shows a large group of people gathered on the platform of the memorial-mausoleum, all facing in the same direction. The scene suggests a moment of contemplation and reflection. In the background, the dark evening sky is illuminated by the glow of the city lights.