May Day picnic in the Royal Łazienki. The European Picnic, exhibitions, admission-free visits

If you want to enjoy your time during the coming May Day picnic, come to the Royal Łazienki. You can take part in the European Picnic, which will be filled with attractions, and see a masterpiece from Dutch collections and visit the Museum buildings for free, including the revitalized Old Orangery.

During the May Day picnic in the Royal Łazienki, everyone will find something for themselves – both children and adults as well as families, tourists and history enthusiasts. You can spend your free time in the gardens, where the European Picnic will take place, and in the Museum buildings to which admission will be free from 29 April until 8 May.

In the Palace on the Isle, it is worth seeing the famous painting from the Mauritshuis Museum in the Hague – "Flowers in a Glass Vase" by Abraham Mignon as well as a copy of the Constitution of 3rd May 1791 (it will be displayed between 1 and 8 May), which was specially loaned from the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw. Our educators will talk about the Constitution and explain what role Stanisław August played in its enactment, and what provisions it contains.

There will be no shortage of attractions during the European Picnic, organised in cooperation with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on the occasion of Poland’s accession to the European Union. Visitors will have an opportunity to listen to concerts and choir performances, watch horse shows as well as parades of military and police bands, to take part in family games.

On the May 3rd Constitution Day, in the Palace on the Isle, visitors will watch the ceremony of changing of the Royal Guard at the 3rd May Constitution.

The Palace terrace will be the venue for a play featuring 18th century music and traditional French and Polish dances. Afterwards, visitors wishing to try their hand in the national Polish dance – Polonaise, will be able to take part in workshops under the eye of a master.

DETAILED MAY DAY PICNIC PROGRAMME (1-3 MAY) IN THE ROYAL ŁAZIENKI:

THE EUROPEAN PICNIC ON THE OCCASION OF THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF POLAND’S ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION – 1 MAY, 10:00 – 6:00 p.m.

All day – Open-Air Gallery in Aleje Ujazdowskie, the "CONNECTION. Art in Corporate Collections”.

All day – The Palace on the Isle
- Exhibition of a painting from the Mauritshuis Museum in the Hague, "Flowers in a Glass Vase”
- Opening of the "Book of the 3rd May Constitution” – meetings with educators
- Admission-free visits

10:00 – 11:00 a.m, Monument to Chopin – Opening of the European Picnic – Melomaluszki (Melokids) concert for children

11:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., New Orangery, Deckchair Leisure Zone – Games and activities
- European Tales (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
- European Painting Masterpieces (11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
- Zielono mi! (I’m Feeling Green!) Theatre animations for children (2:00 – 2:45 p.m, 3:15 – 4:00 p.m., 4:15 – 5:00 p.m.)
- Stand with publications of the Museum Education Centre (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Royal Łazienki Garden – Guided tours for families around the Royal Łazienki Garden
- start: the Palace on the Isle terrace (11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.), destination: the Old Guardhouse

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Zone near the Belvedere restaurant
- Refreshments: doughnuts, tea, and cold drinks

11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Orchestra parades in the Gardens
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Mykanów Orchestra (from the Monument to Chopin to the Palace on the Isle);
2:00 – 2:30 p.m., Military Band in Warsaw (from the Palace on the Isle to the Chinese Alley);
3:00 – 3:30 p.m., Official Police Band (from Gagarina street to the Palace on the Isle);
Mykanów Orchestra (from the Monument to Chopin to the Palace on the Isle terrace)

12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m., Amphitheatre, Official concert of combined orchestras
- Greetings, information about the picnic and other events taking place in the Royal Łazienki;
- Anthems of the European Union and Poland;
- Concert of the Warsaw Military Band;
- Concert of the Official Police Band

12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m., Old Guardhouse, “World’s Biggest Flower” – animations for children

12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m., Area near the Old Guardhouse, “Trou Madame” game

2:30 p.m. – c. 5:00 p.m., the Amphitheatre, Concert of choirs
- 2:30 p.m., Surma Choir (25 minutes);
- 3:05 p.m., La Musica (20 minutes);
- 3:35 p.m., OMG (25 minutes);
- 4:10 p.m., Warsaw University of Life Sciences Choir (23 minutes).

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Hippodrome, Parade of Colonel Jan Kozietulski’s 3rd Honorary Regiment of Masovian Chevau-légers

4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Amphitheatre, Concert of the Vivat! Orchestra

5:40 p.m., Monument to Chopin, Vivat! Orchestra march

DAY OF THE FLAG – 2 MAY

9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Palace on the Isle, the “Book of the 3rd May Constitution” exhibition. The history of the constitution will be told by the educators of the Royal Łazienki.

9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Admission-free visits to the Palace on the Isle and the Old Orangery;

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Admission-free visits to the Myślewicki Palace and the White Pavilion;

12:00 noon, Amphitheatre – Festival of Magical Songs, semi-final concert

MAY 3RD CONSTITUTION DAY

9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Palace on the Isle, the “Book of the 3rd May Constitution” exhibition. The history of the constitution will be told by the educators of the Royal Łazienki.

9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Admission-free visits to the Palace on the Isle and the Old Orangery;

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Admission-free visits to the Myślewicki Palace and the White Pavilion;

12:00 noon – 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 – 3:30 p.m., Palace on the Isle terrace – Ceremony of the changing of the Royal Guard at the 3rd May Constitution.

3:00 – 3:30 p.m., Palace on the Isle terrace – Musical and dance show
A presentation of French dances such as gigue, bourrée, and canarie – popular in 18th century Europe, based on original choreographies from Achille et Polyxene and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme operas, as well as Polish dances: Polonaise, Mazur, Kujawiak, and Oberek.

The central theme of the dance étude – the rivalry between Sarmatic and French fashion – characteristic of the 18th century Poland.

Performances of the Canor Anticus group led by Professor Marcin Zalewski (6 musicians) and Amatum, led by Robert Lubera (4 dancers).

4:00 – 4:45 p.m., Palace on the Isle terrace – Polonaise workshops on the Palace on the Isle terrace

Learning the dance moves of the Polonaise, concluded by a collective dance of the participants of the workshops. Taught by: master of national Polish dances, Tomasz Sadlakowski (accompanied by the Amatum group).