Free City of Kraków
The founding act was signed on 18 February 1850 by the Committee which included such notable personalities as Director of the Jagiellonian Library, Józef Muczkowski (President of the Committee), Karol Kremer (member of the Sejm of the Free City of Kraków: "Rzeczypospolita Krakowska"), Wincenty Pol (Professor UJ, poet and explorer), as well as Teofil Żebrawski (architect, city inspector). A series of documents including the museum mission statement were written for the administration, specifying the priority of the museum in obtaining archaeological finds from private donors. The first museum exhibit opened in 1857 at the Lubomirski Palace at 17 św. Jana Street. The collection originated mostly from private donations by numerous noble Polish families, including the statue of Zbruch Idol ("Światowid ze Zbrucza"), which is the symbol of the museum.