The seat of the National Museum in Kielce is the palace, which once belonged to the Bishops of Cracow, founded by Bishop Jakub Zadzik in 1637-1644. The Bishops’ Palace is the best preserved architectural object in Poland from the time of the Vasa.
It is one of the finest and best preserved estates from the times of the Vasa.
The palace located in the old part of the city has original interior of the 17th and 18th centuries, with unique architectural design: framework ceilings with paintings from the workshop of Tommaso Dolabella, polychromed beamed ceilings and ceiling mounted friezes, marble and stone fireplaces, portals and pieces of flooring.
The residential and guest apartments exhibit arts and crafts of European class: textiles (including Flemish and French tapestries), furniture (e.g. Gdańsk cabinets and press for tablecloths, Italian Renaissance furniture set). The exhibition is supplemented with the 17th century French, Italian and Polish paintings.
ITALIAN GARDEN
In 2003, on the western side of the palace, a Renaissance garden was reconstructed, referring to the Italian models.
Lawn fields facing the palace have geometric figures cut into the turf. The fields are filled with white and red gravel with peonies in the corners. The other two fields include boxtree planted with seasonal flowers: tulips, narcissus, pansies. Ornamental garden surrounded by an appletree orchard in four fields and closed with hornbeam lanes.
SANCTUARY OF MARSHAL JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI
Sanctuary occupies three rooms in the south-west corner of the palace.
Former room of the Commander is decorated with marble slabs. In the flag room there is a triptych "The entry of Józef Piłsudski’s shooters to Kielce" by Stanisław Batowski and copies of 1 and 4 of the Legions.
FORMER EASTERN AND EUROPEAN WEAPONS
The collection of militaria includes 600 exhibits. They come from Europe and the East. The most interesting ones are the equipment of hussars, breastplate and backplate from the late 16th century and 17th century chain mail and misiurka (Eastern type combat helmet).
GALLERY OF POLISH PAINTING AND CRAFTS
One of the best painting galleries in Poland, with collection of about 250 paintings. Kielce gallery has a unique collection of old Polish portraits, containing images of personages from the 17th and 18th century and 19th century landscape and generic paintings, including works by: J. Szermentowski and W. Malecki. The importance of the gallery is showed with paintings by: J. Kossak, J. Brandt, J. Chełmoński, O. Boznańska, S. Wyspiański, W. Wojtkiewicz, L. Wyczółkowski, J. Malczewski, J. Pankiewicz. The paintings are accompanied by beautiful arts and crafts: Baroque and Rococo, from the Far East and European works, Polish glass in Art Deco style, the most valuable examples of Poland's largest collection of Ćmielów porcelain, glass and art nouveau metal, Polish and Rococo furniture of the 18th/19th century