Korczakianum is a museum-research lab that collects, researches and makes publicly available all material documenting Janusz Korczak’s [born as Henryk Goldszmit, 1878-1942], writer, doctor, pedagogue and social activist] life’s legacy:

• personal biography,
• literary work,
• the history of all institutions created by him,
• the story of his closests associates and relatives,
• as well as Polish and foreign reception of the person and his work.

Korczakianum’s main areas of activity are:

• collecting and preparing for publication/exhibitions of all sources from the Korczak’s Archive and from other Korczakianum archives (i.e. book collection and mechanic documentation),
• editing and publishing work that results in presenting Korczak’s literary legacy (mainly preparation of his “Dzieła”, i.e. collected works volumes) and in showcasing other important, and/or lesser known source material,
• consultative and educational activity associated with making collections publicly available, as well as with presentation of the core exhibition,
• local and international cooperation with persons, institutions and social circles interested in Korczak’s heritage.

History of the institution

In 1972 Janusz Korczak received (post mortem) the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, which along with the then-planned celebrations of his 100th birthday anniversary inspired Polish Educational Research Institute to establish the Korczak Laboratory in 1977, where the entire collection of Korczak-related items was moved. Over the following 15 years the laboratory became internationally known as the go-to place for all Korczak-inspired  researchers and other persons.

In 1993 the Centre for Documentation and Research ”Korczakianum” was established as a continuation of the Korczak Laboratory.

Since 2001 Korczakianum was a division of the Museum of Warsaw (then known as the Historical Museum of the Capital City of Warsaw), and since 2014 it has been the scientific lab of the Museum of Warsaw.

Dom Sierot (Children’s Home)

Korczakianum is located in the historic „Dom Sierot” (Children’s Home) building. Before and during WW2 it was located at 92 Krochmalna Street, which today is 6 Jaktorowska Street.

The several-storey edifice was erected between 1911 and 1912 with help of Warsaw Jews contributions collected by the „Pomoc dla Sierot” Association – the institution that financed Dom Sierot throughout its existence.

Korczak (the Director of Dom Sierot), together with Stefania Wilczyńska (its head educator) and the first pupils, moved in on October 7th 1912.

During the war

The residents were forced to leave their home in November 1940 since that part of Krochmalna Street was outside the borders of the Warsaw Ghetto (which at that time, called into existence by the Germans, was becoming a reality). In 1943/44 the building was occupied by German institutions – probably the only reason why it was not brought down during the Warsaw Uprising.

After the war

After the war the building housed multiple residents and organizations (a journalist school, to name one) and finally in 1957, after a comprehensive makeover, it was decided to turn it back into a guardian/educational facility, the Janusz Korczak’s Children’s Home No. 2.