Our Temporary Exhibitions allow us to delve more deeply into specific themes and ideas from the 17th century, exploring their legacy up to today. These are usually located in the two rooms on the top floor of the museum, floor five.

From Poland: Spirit and Strength | Tuesday 24 March 2026 - October 2026

The National Civil War Centre presents From Poland: Spirit and Strength, a new community‑led exhibition created in collaboration with Brew Projects and Open Doors, exploring the deep and enduring connections between Poland and Newark and Sherwood.

Developed with local people who have Polish heritage, the exhibition celebrates Poland’s legacy of determination and creativity, reflecting both historic connections and contemporary lived experience. Polish culture is an important part of Newark’s story today, with Polish now the second most spoken language in the district after English.

Through objects, stories, and displays shaped by community collaboration, visitors are invited to explore key moments from Poland’s past alongside reflections on modern life. The exhibition highlights notable people, innovations, and traditions, and showcases traditional crafts alongside entertainment and creativity as vital expressions of culture.

The exhibition has been co‑curated through workshops and conversations, ensuring that local voices sit at the heart of the project. Personal objects loaned by community members are displayed alongside selected items from the National Civil War Centre – Newark Museum collections, chosen with community input to reflect recognisable aspects of Polish life.

From Poland: Spirit and Strength also reflects Newark’s historic links with Poland, including the Polish War Graves at Newark Cemetery, the burial of General Władysław Sikorski, and the town’s twinning with Sandomierz.

Warm, inclusive, and celebratory, the exhibition invites visitors to discover Polish culture beyond expectation and to recognise the vital role Polish communities play in shaping Newark’s past and present.

Our permanent galleries include the Main Civil War Gallery on Floor 1 which gives a comprehensive overview of the causes of the conflict while The World Turned Upside Down galleries on Floor 3 examine their consequences and 17th century life more closely.  

‌The World Turned Upside Down

The unmatched devastation of the Civil War led to an extraordinary ‌transformation. Re-building society after such a dramatic breakdown opened the door to a chance at revolution, and the chaos of war left a remarkable opportunity for creativity in its wake. This 'World Turned Upside Down' is the focus of a brand new permanent exhibition exploring the 17th century's seismic shifts in religion, science, culture and politics. The exhibition will ask just what happened to turn the world from right way up to 'upside down'; examine what it would have been like to plunge into the mayhem of war and emerge into an unfamiliar landscape; and uncover how the pyramid of power shifted from the God-chosen King on top... to Charles' head on the ground.

Newark’s story begins with Ice Age travellers, following their prey along the high ground between rivers. After the ice melted, other travellers left their mark and their treasures here. Romans gave us our roads. Vikings named many of our streets. Anglo Saxons built Newark Castle and the New Werk – the town we know as Newark today.

Explore these two rooms to see some of the clues left to us by generations past. Find out about our local history and the people who built Newark. Who buried the golden torc by the River Trent? Why did Lord Byron have his first volumes of poetry printed here? Who used folding bikes before commuters?

Take our colourful leaflet with illustrations and information about a selection of objects in our galleries! This leaflet was designed by artist and illustrator Samantha Peberdy who was Artist in Residence during 2023. We aim to provide information about our heritage and cultural sites and programmes in a range of languages.

Click here for the leaflet in English: Object Trail Leaflet (English) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,331kb)

Click here for the leaflet in Polish: Object Trail Leaflet (Polish) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,507kb)

Click here for the leaflet in Arabic: Object Trail Leaflet (Arabic) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,081kb)

If you would like information in other languages or formats please contact our team here: visitorinformationcentre@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk