How I reinvented the wheel

To create an exhibition that visitors could explore independently in a relatively short time, one that would not overwhelm them with excessive details, but would be engaging and memorable, a clear selection process and general narrative guidelines were essential. During workshops, we developed three pillars on which the entire story would be based. The first is time and continuity: the history of Tyskie Browary Książęce spans over four centuries, with beer being brewed here continuously despite historical upheavals and times of turmoil. The second pillar is the unique blend of tradition and modernity. The brewery is part historical monument, a 19th-century architectural gem, and part cutting-edge business, capable of brewing nearly 8 million hectolitres of beer annually. At the heart of the brewery is the beautifully decorated, historical brewhouse – still in operation, not a museum, while nearby the most modern bottling lines fill thousands of bottles, cans and kegs per hour. These two aspects of the brewery complement each other perfectly, with innovations introduced while respecting tradition. The third pillar is the people who, over the decades, have shaped this place with their work and lives. For many generations of brewers, the brewery was their whole world, where they not only worked but also lived, raised children, kept livestock, went to pray, and entertained themselves at the casino. The bond with past generations remains strong despite the passage of time. A fun fact: the complex features murals I designed, which recreate historical photos of brewery workers, and one of the current employees recognized his ancestor in one of them.

A separate challenge was deciding what exactly to feature in the exhibition, as four centuries full of notable figures and events offered an overwhelming abundance of material. We chose ten key episodes – milestones in the brewery's history – and built the narrative around them, which took on a distinctive form. In a way, I reinvented the wheel, as I realized that the world of beer is circular: bottles, cans, kegs, mugs, caps and wafers all have that shape. Thus, it was only natural to use this circular motif as the central theme of our story. As a result, the historical episodes and the cinema, where the tour begins, are enclosed within cylinders. Moreover, the tour route itself forms an infinity symbol, reflecting the enduring nature of Tyskie Browary Książęce and its long history, which continues to unfold every day. Meanwhile, the corridor takes the shape of a bottle – I wanted the exhibition to include numerous motifs that are not only aesthetically pleasing and intriguing but also meaningful.