XXXVI GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes in Szczecin
Szczecin, Poland
September 8–10, 2026
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes in Szczecin (Poland, West Pomeranian Voivodeship), once the main residence of the Duchy of Pomerania ruled by the Griffin dynasty, has the honor to invite you to the 36th General Assembly and Seminar of the Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea in Szczecin.
The preliminary program of the General Assembly is provided below.
The seminar will be held on September 9, 2026 (Wednesday).
The seminar’s theme is: “Castles as Spaces of Cultural Heritage. Conservation, Renovation, Modernization: Challenges and Experiences.”
We kindly invite the Association members to submit papers that address issues related to this topic and facilitate the exchange of current knowledge and experiences.
Submissions (title and abstract) along with the speaker’s name and the name of the institution they represent should be sent by June 21, 2026, to: zamek@zamek.szczecin.pl.
Please include “Baltic Castles. Seminar” in the subject line of the email.
By July 5, 2026, we will announce the selected speakers and the detailed seminar program.
Speakers are exempt from participation fees for the General Assembly and the seminar.
Accreditation for General Assembly participants – by July 10, 2026
at: zamek@zamek.szczecin.pl. Please include “Baltic Castles” in the subject line of your email.
The fee for participation in the off-site General Assembly (100 euro/person) should be paid to the account of the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin:
SWIFT: GOSKPLPW
IBAN: PL 54 1130 1176 0022 2047 7820 0037
In your request, please provide the following information for invoicing:
- Institution name
- Address
- EU VAT number
The theme of the Conference will be "Audience Development" and it will be done in collaboration with the Finnish Museums Association.
Olavinlinna, the historic castle in Savonlinna, will celebrate its 550th anniversary in 2025.
PRELIMINARY AGENDA FOR THE MEETING IN SZCZECIN:
Tuesday, September 8th, 2026
9:30 AM-1:00 PM Participant registration
10:00 AM-12:00 PM Meeting of the Association’s Board of Directors at the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin (board members or their alternates)
Location: The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
12:00-12:30 PM Informal discussions over coffee.
Location: The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
12:30-2:30 PM The General Assembly
Location: The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
2:30-3:30 PM Lunch for the General Assembly participants
Location: The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
3:30-5:30 PM Guided tour of the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin (tour language: English)
7:00–8:00 PM Concert by Zuzanna Sejbuk, finalist of the 53rd National F. Chopin Competition in Warsaw.
Location: Bogislaw X Hall, the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
After the concert – refreshments in the Conference Hall of the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
Wednesday, September 9th, 2026
9:45 AM Meeting at the Castle Bell Tower – walking together to the National Museum in Szczecin
10:00 AM-12:00 PM Guided tours for two groups on a rotating basis:
Tour of the exhibition “The Golden Age of Pomerania. Art at the Court of the Pomeranian Dukes in the 16th and 17th Centuries” at the National Museum in Szczecin.
Tour of the National Museum in Szczecin – Center for Dialogue “Przełomy”
12:00-12:30 PM Coffee break
12:30-1:30 PM Official opening of the conference
Presentation of the guidebook to the Castles
Inaugural lecture by Professor Rafał Simiński of the University of Szczecin presenting the history of the House of Griffins, the Duchy of Pomerania, and Szczecin Castle. (lecture in English)
1:30-2:45 PM Lunch
Location: The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin
2:45-4:45 PM Seminar: “Castles as Spaces of Cultural Heritage. Conservation, Renovation, Modernization: Challenges and Experiences.”
Presentations by speakers.
4:45-5:15 PM Moderated discussion
5:15-6:00 PM Coffee break
8:00 PM Gala dinner
Thursday, September 10th, 2026
A tour of Szczecin, its historic sites, and museums, including:
The August Lentz Villa, once the residence of an industrialist, serves as a microcosm of the fate of Szczecin’s historic bourgeois villas. It was restored with extraordinary care in 2018-2019. Today, it functions as a cultural institution.
Wały Chrobrego/ Bolesław I the Brave Embankment/ Haken Terrace - considered one of the most beautiful viewing terraces in Europe, offering a sweeping panorama of the Oder River and the port of Szczecin.
The building of the famous Szczecin Philharmonic – the first Polish structure to receive the European Union Mies van der Rohe Award for contemporary architecture.
Detailed program – coming soon