Sybir Memorial Museum – Rawlplug supports the construction of a national remembrance site

Raw architecture, powerful message, and thousands of personal tragedies. The construction of the Sybir Memorial Museum – a space commemorating the fate of Polish deportees – involved modern Rawlplug solutions supporting the facility’s structure and symbolic expression, from foundation to architectural narrative.

A location that speaks volumes

Białystok – a city from which every fifth resident was deported to Siberia and Central Asia in the 1940s – was intentionally chosen as the home of the Sybir Memorial Museum. The institution documents the stories of Polish citizens sent into exile and the broader history of Polish settlement in Russia and the USSR.

Building with history in mind

The investment was completed in phases. The first stage, finalized in 2017, focused on demolition works – including the removal of railway tracks that conflicted with the planned development.

The next phase involved adapting a 3,100 m² military warehouse into the main exhibition space. This two-story building houses galleries, a library, educational zones, and museum facilities. Simultaneously, a new 2,400 m² wing was constructed for technical and administrative purposes.

Architecture filled with meaning

The museum’s form is simple, raw, and monumental. Minimalist concrete-and-glass design enhances the impact of the historical narrative.

A symbolic forest of steel pillars surrounds the structure, evoking the harsh Siberian taiga where many deportees endured their fate. A preserved fragment of the original railway siding was integrated into the design, creating a coherent spatial story.

Did you know? The museum site includes a preserved section of the original railway siding – a powerful physical reminder of the tragic deportations of Poles to Siberia.

Rawlplug solutions used in the museum’s construction

For the Sybir Memorial Museum project, Rawlplug R-LX concrete screws with ZF coating (today R-HLX) were used – ideal for edge-close and adjacent installations, offering removability and reusability. These included products like:

• R-LX-06X075-HF-ZF
• R-LX-06X050-HF-ZF
• R-LX-06X100-HF-ZF
• R-LX-06X150-HF-ZF

For façade insulation, Rawlplug KI façade fixings (KI-260NS) and KWL 140 insulation retaining plates were applied, ensuring excellent mechanical stability, low thermal transmittance, and compliance with demanding

The name of the facility may be a registered trademark of third parties and is not the property of Rawlplug’s publisher.