Built in 1862, as the most important cultural institution in Warsaw, the gallery gathers more than 10 000 ancient art works, which originally from Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and it includes a number of works of Polish and foreign painters and sculptors.

The permanent exhibition includes painting, ancient Christian Art, sculpture, treasure jewelry etc.

The paintings were hung thematically and divided by 11 sections. So it easy for audience to compare and observe those similarities and differences between paintings.

In the section of Gallery of Medieval Art, it dedicated to show the role of art in the religious life of Middle Ages.

The part of Oriental art has the largest collection of Chinese art in Poland.

Some of paintings in the gallery are from Adolf Hitler's private collection.