Operating since 1947, the Józef Piłsudski Institute is one of the first cultural and educational organisations established in the UK to promote Polish history. The Institute collects, preserves, stores and makes available historical materials (archival material, publications and museum exhibits) from the period of modern Polish history, especially those relating to Marshal Józef Piłsudski and his associates.

The collections of the Piłsudski Institute include memorabilia of the last President of the Republic of Poland in exile, Ryszard Kaczorowski. When the authorities of the Polish Republic in exile came to an end in 1990, after the first general presidential election, Kaczorowski moved his office from the prestigious Belgravia district of London to a modest, small room on the second floor of the Polish Social and Cultural Centre (POSK). The room is now part of the headquarters of the Józef Piłsudski Institute, which took the initiative to recreate President Kaczorowski's office.

Work completed in 2024.

The project involved the restoration of furniture intended for display in the recreated study of President Kaczorowski. These included a George II-style desk with a Chippendale-style chair, a kilim, and a table made in the 1960s by Marshal Józef Piłsudski's daughter, Jadwiga Piłsudska-Jaraczewska. The exhibition is complemented by a historical part explaining the foundations legalising the activities of the Polish government and introducing the profiles of the Six Magnificent - Polish Presidents in Exile. The ceremonial opening of the Cabinet will take place in November 2024. The space is open to the public.

Executor: Adam Bentley Restorations

Project completed.

The restoration work was carried out in 2024 as part of the Polonica Institute's strategic programme 'Protecting Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad'.