Most historic buildings in Wrocław were destroyed or heavily damaged in World War II (see: the Siege of Breslau). The new Polish Department of Museums and Heritage Protection ("Referat Muzeów i Ochrony Zabytków", RMOZ) was entrusted with the task of selecting a suitable placement for the newly arriving cultural artifacts. The relatively undamaged location was chosen on among the ruins of the old city center, at the former Silesian regency office built in 1883–1886.