Celebrate Leonard Pietraszak’s birthday at the opening of the new long-term exhibition “Leonard Pietraszak: Actor, Collector, Resident of Bydgoszcz.”

The Leon Wyczółkowski Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz will open the long-term exhibition “Leonard Pietraszak: Actor, Collector, Resident of Bydgoszcz” on November 5, 2026. The opening reception will take place at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Building at 4 Gdańska Street, on the eve of the artist’s 90th birthday. The exhibition will showcase the life and work of this outstanding theater, film, and television actor—as well as an art collector and native of Bydgoszcz. Among the items on display will be personal mementos, photographs, archival materials, awards, and honors, as well as works of art collected over the years by Leonard Pietraszak. The exhibition will offer a multifaceted view of the artist, highlighting not only his professional career and ties to his hometown but also his personal passions and everyday life shared with his wife, Wanda.

The exhibition complements the presentation of the collection of paintings by Jan Stanisławski and his students, donated to the Bydgoszcz Museum in 2021 by Wanda and Leonard Pietraszak. This time, the focus is on the donor himself—his life, artistic legacy, personal relationships, and passion for collecting, which held a special place in his life.

Leonard Pietraszak, born on November 6, 1936, in Bydgoszcz, was among the most respected Polish theater, film, and television actors. Audiences remember him for many outstanding roles, and his body of work has left a lasting mark on the history of Polish culture. Beyond the stage and film set, art was an important part of his life—art that he not only admired but also consistently collected. Together with his wife Wanda, he built a collection that bears witness to his sensibilities, interests, and personal choices.

– We wanted to portray Leonard Pietraszak not only as an outstanding actor whose roles have left a lasting impression on successive generations of viewers, but also as a man for whom art was an important part of everyday life. The collected items offer a glimpse into his life from various perspectives. They tell the story of his youth spent in Bydgoszcz, his professional career, his relationships with loved ones and friends, as well as his passion for collecting, which speaks volumes about his personality —emphasizes Dr. Anna Nadolska of the History Department at the Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz, co-curator of the exhibition.

Among the items on display are numerous photographs and archival materials documenting Pietraszak’s years in Bydgoszcz, his theater and film work, and his private life shared with his beloved wife Wanda and his friends. A separate group consists of awards and honors bestowed upon the actor in recognition of his artistic achievements. The exhibition also sheds light on the less public side of his biography, showcasing the objects with which the Pietraszaks surrounded themselves in their daily lives.

– The works of art collected by Leonard Pietraszak over many years hold a special place in this story. For him, collecting was not merely a way to own beautiful objects, but a form of conscious engagement with art and the cultivation of his own interests. The works on display offer a glimpse into his choices, reveal the unique character of the collection, and provide a better understanding of the important role it played in the actor’s life — says Dr. Monika Kosteczko-Grajek of the Art Department at the Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz, co-curator of the exhibition.

A collection of personal mementos, documents, photographs, and works of art weaves a narrative in which his professional life intertwines with his private one. As a result, the exhibition goes beyond a mere presentation of a famous artist’s biography, revealing a man with many interests, a deep attachment to his hometown, and a special relationship with art.

Leonard Pietraszak’s connection to the Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz took on special significance thanks to a donation made in 2021. The collection of paintings by Jan Stanisławski and his students, donated by Wanda and Leonard Pietraszak, has enriched the institution’s holdings and formed the basis for an exhibition showcasing the work of this artistic community. The new exhibition expands on this story, offering a glimpse into the life of the man who, together with his wife, decided to entrust the collection to the Bydgoszcz Museum.

– For our Museum, Leonard Pietraszak was not only an outstanding actor from Bydgoszcz but also an important donor who placed his trust in us by entrusting the institution, together with his wife, with a valuable collection of artworks. This decision has become an integral part of our shared history. The exhibition allows us to tell Leonard Pietraszak’s story in a unique way: through the objects that were dear to him, the works he selected, and the testimonies of his life and work. It is also a tribute to a man whose ties to Bydgoszcz were both personal and cultural,” says Dr. Anna Kornelia Jędrzejewska, director of the Leon Wyczółkowski Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz.

“Leonard Pietraszak: Actor, Collector, Resident of Bydgoszcz” is an invitation to get to know the artist up close. The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication of the same title, edited by Prof. Piotr Zwierzchowski, Ph.D., a scholar and film expert at Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, and Dr. Anna Nadolska, a historian and the exhibition’s curator. The book will provide a broader look at Leonard Pietraszak’s biography, his artistic body of work, and his passion for collecting. The book’s launch will take place in December.

The new long-term exhibition is located next to the “Leonard Pietraszak. Master of Many Roles, which features stills from the actor’s film roles. Both exhibitions complement each other and together create a more complete portrait of a man who has left a lasting mark on the history of Polish culture.

The exhibition is part of the celebrations for the Year of Leonard Pietraszak in Bydgoszcz, coordinated by the Leon Wyczółkowski Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz. The year 2026 is also the Year of Film Makers from Kujawy and Pomerania, dedicated to artists associated with the region who helped shape the history of Polish cinema. The opening of the exhibition on the eve of the actor’s 90th birthday provides a special opportunity to reflect on his legacy and his ties to his hometown.

The exhibition is held under the honorary patronage of:
Michał Sztybel, Governor of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Rafał Bruski, Mayor of Bydgoszcz
Piotr Kozłowski, Bydgoszcz County Administrator

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Leonard Pietraszak. Actor, collector, native of Bydgoszcz—exhibition opening

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