Romantic Chopin – an immersive journey into the world of the composer at Art Box Experience

22.10.2025

On September 19, 2025, the Norblin Factory in Warsaw will host the world premiere of the immersive exhibition “Romantic Chopin.” It is the first such advanced multimedia project in Poland dedicated to Fryderyk Chopin, prepared by Art Box Experience in cooperation with the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. The project combines state-of-the-art technologies with classical artistic techniques, creating an extraordinary experience at the intersection of art, music, history, and modern storytelling.

The idea for the exhibition was born in 2023 – from the very beginning, its creators wanted to create a space that would introduce Chopin in an accessible and moving way, not only to music lovers, but also to people who had not previously had close contact with his work. It is also an excellent proposition for families with children and schools – the exhibition has been designed to be understandable and attractive to younger audiences, encouraging them to discover classical music in a modern, accessible form.

Visitors pass through eight themed spaces, each telling a different part of the story of the life and work of Poland’s greatest composer. The exhibition begins in a picturesque reconstruction of the manor house in Żelazowa Wola, where we learn about Chopin’s birthplace. Next to a model of his family home is a dynamic map of Poland’s changing borders, which gives this part of the exhibition a deeply personal character.

In the following rooms, we follow Chopin’s journey through the Warsaw of his youth, Vienna full of uncertainty, and Paris – the place of his greatest artistic successes and personal triumphs. The visual layer is based on carefully selected materials: paintings by Canaletto, period illustrations, and over 50 original watercolors by Beata Musiał-Tomaszewska, which were hand-painted and brought to life in the form of stop-motion animation.

One of the most emotional moments of the exhibition is the immersive room, where, during a 30-minute screening, viewers are immersed in the sounds of Chopin’s music while admiring metaphorical, painterly images inspired by his work and the landscape of his homeland. The entire exhibition is accompanied by a personal narrative in the form of interpretations of Chopin’s letters, told in the first person – as if the composer himself were recounting his life. In one of the scenes in this room, the PZLPiT “Mazowsze” appears, which is the embodiment of folk motifs in the artist’s work.

The exhibition also offers innovative interactive experiences. Visitors can touch a cast of Chopin’s hand and “activate” selected fragments of his works, thus discovering 16 of his most beautiful compositions in a new form. A multimedia interactive tree allows visitors to interact with figures close to Chopin: his sisters, parents, George Sand, Liszt, and Mickiewicz. In the VR room, prepared by the Platige Image studio, guests embark on a poetic journey from Paris, through the romantic landscapes of the Vistula River, to the symbolic cosmos, where Chopin’s music takes on a metaphysical dimension, floating above space and time.

The whole experience ends in a room dedicated to the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition – one of the most important musical events in the world, whose 19th edition, marking the 100th anniversary of the competition, will take place on October 2-23 this year. Here you will find audiovisual materials from concerts, archival materials, and memories of the winners who continue the composer’s legacy.

Work on the exhibition took nearly two years. Artists, programmers, screenwriters, interaction specialists, and new technology experts participated in the project. The project combines the world of painting and the latest animation technologies with interactive techniques, making it one of the most advanced productions of its kind in Europe. Piotr Sikora, artistic director of the Romantic Chopin exhibition, founder of Art Box Experience, and co-founder of Platige Image, was responsible for the concept and implementation, while a team of experts from the Fryderyk Chopin Institute and Jakub Puchalski, music critic and journalist, author of, among others, a short monograph entitled Chopin (PWM) and texts for the Romantic Chopin exhibition, were responsible for the content. a short monograph entitled Chopin (PWM) and texts for the exhibition Romantic Chopin.

“Romantic Chopin is a project born out of passion, respect, and the enormous commitment of the entire team—creators, artists, researchers, technology designers, and curators. We wanted to create something more than an exhibition—a space that allows visitors to feel Chopin, his world, and his emotions. It is a tribute to one of the most outstanding composers, but also a new way of talking about culture, close to the contemporary audience. We wanted every visitor – regardless of age or musical background – to feel a connection with Chopin, his work and his era. It is also a great joy for us to have been able to collaborate with the Fryderyk Chopin Institute and build something truly unique together” – says Joanna Sikora-Kowalkowska, president of Art Box Experience. a short monograph entitled Chopin (PWM) and texts for the exhibition Romantic Chopin.

The exhibition will feature several dozen pieces by Chopin – from mazurkas and preludes, through ballads, to concertos and polonaises – performed by outstanding pianists such as Kate Liu, Szymon Nehring, Tatiana Shebanova, and Aimi Kobayashi.

As part of the “Romantic Chopin” exhibition, a series of piano concerts will begin on October 19, taking place on Sundays in the immersive space of Art Box Experience. This is a unique opportunity to listen to Fryderyk Chopin’s music performed live in a place that combines art, sound, and modern technology. The events will begin with a guided tour of the exhibition at 4:00 p.m. After the tour, group meet in the immersive room, where the concert will take place. The stage will feature outstanding pianists of the younger generation recommended by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.

Maria Moliszewska is a pianist associated with the F. Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, winner of numerous international piano competitions, including in Szafarnia, Siedlce, the Czech Republic, and Malaysia. She has given concerts in Poland, Germany, Israel, France, and Greece. Her interpretations are full of sensitivity and technical precision. The program will include, among others, Ballade in A-flat major, Prelude Op. 45, selected parts of Sonata in B-flat minor, and Waltz in A-minor. Concert: October 19.

Kamila Sacharzewska – a pianist affiliated with the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (class of Janusz Olejniczak and Joanna Ławrynowicz-Just). She is a laureate of numerous international piano competitions, including those held in Texas, Milan, Moscow, Vilnius, Riga, Budapest, Košice, Szafarnia, Paris, and Ústí nad Labem. Kamila has performed in Canada and in several European countries, including Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Belgium, and Italy. She is a scholarship holder of the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the “Young Poland” program, and the National Fund for Children. Concert date: October 26.

Concerts at Art Box Experience are unique encounters with Chopin’s music – in a space that encourages concentration, reflection, and emotional experience of his work, while learning about his life story told through images and sound.

The Art Box Experience educational path will also be continued with guided tours: In the Footsteps of Romantic Chopin – guided tours for adults and young people on Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. Chopin for Young and Old – a family discovery of music on Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. and Sundays at 12:00 p.m., and Romantic Chopin – an evening guided tour for connoisseurs on Fridays at 6:30 p.m.

The exhibition Romantic Chopin is not only a tribute to the legacy of the great composer, but also an attempt to show him as a man – sensitive, in love, struggling with loneliness, illness, and longing for his homeland. It is an emotional experience that allows you to look at Chopin from a completely different perspective.

Video trailer

Tickets can be purchased online at: www.artboxexperience.com, Ticketmaster, eBilet, Going, and at the exhibition ticket office.
Exhibition duration: September 19, 2025 – January 31, 2026

Location: Norblin Factory, ul. Żelazna 51/53, level +2, Plater building
Mon. – Thu., from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., last admission at 7:00 p.m.; Fri. from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., last admission at 8:00 p.m.; Sat. from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., last admission at 8:00 p.m., Sun.
from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., last admission at 7:00 p.m.).

During the week (Monday to Friday) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Dzień dobry, kulturo! promotion is in effect. The price of a single standard individual ticket is PLN 40.

Ticket prices: