(Warsaw, Poland) – The production and installation of the Core Exhibition of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews is proceeding according to schedule. The completion date is mid-June 2014. The Core Exhibition budget was secured as early as 2012 by the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland thanks to the support of donors from around the world. The funds, amounting to 140 million PLN (ca. $ 47 million), covers the full cost of the production and installation of the exhibition. The Polish authorities are about to set a date for the official Grand Opening of the Museum, an event of international importance.

The installation of the Core Exhibition was delayed by few months due to technical difficulties related to the completion and adaptation of the building to the needs of the exhibition.

Due to the high profile of the Grand Opening, the date is being set by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in cooperation with the Chancellery of  the President of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews is the largest public-private partnership venture in the Polish cultural sector. The Museum’s public founders – the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the City of Warsaw –  financed the construction and outfitting of the building (circa 180 million PLN / ca. $ 60 million).Together, they also disburse an annual subsidy covering most of the Museum’s operating budget. The non-governmental founding partner – the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland – finances the Core Exhibition as well as institution’s program activities thanks to the support from donors from all over the world.

To ensure financing for its cultural and educational programs and in light of the official Grand Opening planned for 2014, the Museum is currently advocating for an increase of the 2014  public subsidy by 8 million PLN (ca. $ 2,7 million). These efforts have been discussed in several forums, most recently  during a session of the Sejm Culture and Media Committee on September 25, 2013.  It should be emphasized, however, that the Museum’s efforts to obtain a higher public subsidy have no bearing on the completion and installation of the Core Exhibition.