The Unique Chocolate Museum

Community Highlights Europe The Unique Chocolate Museum

As members of the Polish language group run by the IOM (the International Organization for Migration) at our hostel, my wife and I were invited to pay a visit to Warsaw to see the newly dedicated chocolate museum of E.Wedel Company. The group ticket to the chocolate museum was kindly sponsored by the IOM, and we were to arrive to the museum at the appointed time. Many thanks to our dear assistants!
We decided to use the opportunity of visiting the Polish capital again. We, a group of eight Ukrainians, set out to the capital by train. The distance is 100 km. The return ticket was a good bargain. It took us less than an hour and a half to get to Warsaw Eastern Railway Station.

Approaching the building of E.Wedel Chocolate Factory in Warsaw

The mural on the building of E.Wedel Chocolate Factory in Warsaw

At the building of the Chocolate Museum in Warsaw

The E.Wedel Chocolate Factory is located in Warsaw at 5 Emil Wedel Avenue. The entrance to the museum is from the side of Kamionkowskie Lake. Warsaw Eastern Railway Station is in its close vicinity (Warszawa Wschodnia station), as well as the PGE National Stadium and Skaryszewski Park. In addition, the visitors approaching the factory can be attracted by the smell of chocolate in the air, which leads straight to the factory door. To reach the museum, we walked less than a kilometer along Lubelska Street, where the chocolate smell reached us. We crossed Grochowska Street and saw the factory building, as well as two interesting classicist buildings located opposite one another. The building in front of the factory near the entrance gate is a chocolate store now. Its twin building is across the street. Both of them were erected between 1818 and 1823 according to the design of Jakub Kubicki. These two buildings used to be toll-gates. There were known as Grochów toll-gates, or Moscow toll-gates, and were associated with the completion of the construction of the first paved road in the Kingdom of Poland, the Brest Road, today's Grochowska Street.

There was the Southern Toll-gate (the chocolate store now) and the Northern Toll-gate (it used to be a beauty salon and seems empty today). We paid attention to the toll-gates’ four Ionic columns and the bas-reliefs with a military and antique theme.

Lake Kamionek opposite the chocolate factory

Roman Dmowski memorial was the first thing we saw while approaching the entrance to the factory chocolate museum. Roman Dmowski was a famous fellow countryman of the residents of Kamionek District of Warsaw. The inscription on the memorial plaque reads,
"Here in Kamionek on August 9, 1864, Roman Dmowski, the leader of the national movement, a statesman, a co-founder of the Polish independent state, was born. Dedicated on June 28, 1991, on the 72th anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles."

As it turned out, our appointment at the museum was changed, and we had an hour and a half at our disposal. Therefore, we walked along Wedel Alley on the shore of Lake Kamionek and visited Corpus Christ Church, walked along Grochowska Street and had lunch at Smacznego Bar.

You can see a lot of memorial plaques attached to the exterior wall of Corpus Christi Church. They are dedicated to famous people and important events.
The inscription on Roman Dmowski memorial plaque reads:
Roman Dmowski, a statesman, the signatory of the Treaty of Versailles, a co-founder and the leader of the national movement, born on August 9, 1864 in Kamionek in Warsaw, died on January 2, 1939 in Drozdowo.
“Catholicism is not an addition to Polishness, coloring it in some way, but is a part of its essence; in large measure it defines its essence. Any attempt to separate Catholicism from Polishness, to separate the nation from religion and from the Church, threatens to destroy the nation’s very essence.” R.Dmowski.

The inscription on Ignacy Skorupka memorial plaque reads:
In the old church on Kamionek - on the way to the front - Ignacy Skorupka, the chaplain of the 236th volunteer infantry regiment of the Volunteer Army, held his last Holy Mass. He perished on August 14, 1920 near Ossow.
Honor his memory.
On the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw called the Miracle on the Vistula.
August 15, 1990

The inscription on the Ancestors memorial plaque starts with a quotation from the Bible and reads,
The place where you are standing is a holy land.
In memory of the fallen and the deceased buried in this cemetery in Kamionek during 1,000 years: Poles, Swedes, Russians, Germans, Jews, French, Lithuanians, Cossacks, Tatars and others. This monument was founded by the parish priest, Bishop Zbigniew Józef Kraszewski, Local parishioners, A.D. 1981.

We were moved to tears to see a WWII memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the Soviet atrocities: the Polish officers, who were taken prisoners by the Soviet Army and slaughtered in the USSR. The inscription on that plaque reads,
In memory of 21,857 Polish prisoners from camps in Kozelsk, Starobielsk, Ostashkov and other Soviet camps and prisons, murdered in the spring of 1940 by NKVD Soviet secret police, by the verdict of the All-Union Communist Party of the Bolsheviks issued on March of 5, 1940.
If we forget about them, may God forget about us.

Full of expectations of the chance to explore more of the Polish capital, we walked up to the neighboring church and then walked along Grochowska Street and had a quick lunch at Smacznego Bar in that street.

Walking along Grochowska Street, Warsaw

July 4, 2024, was the 150th birth anniversary of John Wedel, an outstanding figure in the history of the Polish chocolate industry. According to Robert Zydel, Director of the E.Wedel Chocolate Factory, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of John Wedel’s birth, E.Wedel Chocolate Factory opened a place that invited everyone - not only chocolate lovers - to discover its "sweet" history, tradition and the process of creation.

The unique chocolate museum is the culmination of John Wedel's dreams. The museum is a new place on the cultural map of Warsaw. It takes visitors on a journey through the world of chocolate, as well as the history and tradition of one of the most famous Polish confectionery companies. It’s the only museum of this format in Central and Eastern Europe. As the factory director pointed out, the E.Wedel Chocolate Factory Museum is for everyone, at any age. You are in the world of chocolate production - have fun!

According to the chocolate museum approach, the museum is the perfect attraction for the weekend and during the week. Here is what you can read and hear from the staff of the E.Wedel Chocolate Factory, "The E.Wedel Chocolate Factory is a place where visitors can learn the secrets of chocolate production step by step. During the visit, guests become explorers, gaining in-depth knowledge of the chocolate making process. It is an interactive museum telling the sweet story of chocolate, also inspiring the extraordinary story of the Wedel family, who created this unique place. We abandon typical museum exhibits and sterile spaces here! On the contrary – we want children and adults to touch, to feel, and to test. Therefore, our visitors can actively participate in this extraordinary experience and experience it with all their senses."

As you enter the museum, you will see a chocolate bar to your left and then you have to walk down the staircase to reach the busy museum lobby. The museum lobby was full of school students as long as we were there. You can go shopping here, but I must say the prices are higher than they are at all supermarkets. I confess we expected to see many discounts and special offers at the museum store (50% - 75% off), but alas. Nothing of the kind!

The chocolate bar to your left as you enter the museum building

The liquid chocolate in the entrance lobby of the chocolate museum, Warsaw

Business is business!

This short video shows what you see upon entering the chocolate museum lobby: the chocolate stream. Then you can see some chocolate bar dancing "creative workshop" , where your friends and you can compose any melody while jumping on the chocolate bars. You can see a panorama of Warsaw from the terrace at the end of this video.
The museum building, the construction of which began in February 2022, is a transformed historical site that has served as a cocoa bean processing center since the 1960s. In keeping with the architectural landscape, the design uses gray brick, arranged in characteristic chocolate cubes, so that from a distance the building resembles a huge chocolate bar. Robert Zydel, the museum director, wrote that this museum was a place that invited everyone - not only chocolate lovers - to discover the chocolate factory’s "sweet" history, tradition and the process of creation of chocolate.

Emil Wedel first learned his trade from his father Karol, and then gained international experience which contributed significantly to the company's development. For two years he studied in Paris where he was an apprentice in patisseries and then trained in chocolate production in Germany, Switzerland and England - in the best factories in Europe.
After taking over the company, he decided to sell his father's manufactory and move the factory to a newly built house at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw. He also brought in modern machinery and tools from Paris and Dresden. In the new factory, chocolate production methods were perfected and the assortment of confectioneries on offer was expanded.
Emil Wedel produced many chocolate goods, including: bars of chocolate, chocolate biscuit blocks, oatmeal-and-cocoa powder and gingerbread. His products became immensely popular, which led to attempts at counterfeiting them. In order to prevent this, Emil decided to personally sign each product leaving the Wedel factory. This is how the legendary E.Wedel logo was created; it is still used today - in an almost unchanged form on every bar of chocolate.
Emil Wedel's son took over the family business in 1923, after the death of his mother. Deciding to change the name from "Emil Wedel and Son" to "Fabryka Czekolady E.Wedel Spółka Akcyjna", Jan led the company into a "new era", becoming a pioneer of chocolate and sweets production in Poland. His innovative approach to business resulted in, among others, the creation of the iconic Ptasie Mleczko® marshmallows and the iconic image of the Boy on the Zebra, which to this day decorates the roof of the E.Wedel Chocolate Lounge at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw.

The Wedel family, chocolate museum, Warsaw

The Wedel family image at the chocolate museum, Warsaw

Emil Wedel mural at the chocolate museum, Warsaw

The key moment in the company's development was the relocation of the factory to Zamoyski Street in 1931, where modern technologies enabled further progress in chocolate production. It was there that innovative products such as Ptasie Mleczko® began to be created. Jan Wedel was not only an entrepreneur, but also a visionary in the field of marketing. Thanks to him, transport vehicles with the E.Wedel logo appeared on the streets of Warsaw, and the brand used non-standard forms of promotion, including the first vending machine in Poland, which was placed at the entrance to Skaryszewski Park, located next to the factory. At the same time, the company also purchased an RWD-13 aircraft, which transported sweet products to the Polish coast, at the same time acting as a form of advertising.

Our museum guide told us about the remarkable process of chocolate production. You will learn how cocoa beans are used to make the sweets we enjoy every day. We also found out about the fascinating Wedel family. Our museum guide invited us to smell, to touch and to discover the unique chocolate story with all our senses.
We explored the museum area from the bottom floor up to the third one, and at the end of the tour we walked up to the sixth floor to the terrace to enjoy the views of the evening city.
We liked being in the cocoa hall, where we learnt about the history of processing cocoa beans and their flavour, export and importance.

The Cocoa production history, the chocolate museum, Warsaw

The Cocoa production history, the chocolate museum, Warsaw

The entire left-side wall is dedicated to the history of cocoa production. I liked the images and the short information attached to them:

• 01 > Around 1500 B.C., the preparation of cocoa began in Central and South America. The Olmecs spread the consumption of chocolate throughout the entire Central American region.

• 02 >The cacao beans were subjected to fermentation and drying. Then they were ground using a stone mortar called metate. Corn porridge and chili were added to the beverage.

• 03 > Chocolate was consumed with a large amount of foam, which was highly desired. To achieve this foam, the drink was poured from one vessel to another. Glyph KAKAW(A), signifying cocoa, often appears on vases.

• 04 > In Mesoamerica, the Maya perceived chocolate as a magical beverage. It was consumed during important ceremonies, such as weddings and receptions, and used in tribal rituals.

• 05 > The term "chocolate" originated from the combination of words borrowed by the Spaniards from the Nahuatl language

• 06 > Europeans first learned of the immense value of cocoa to the inhabitants of Mesoamerica in 1519. This was thanks to Hernán Cortés, who was hosted at the court of Montezuma in Tenochtitlán, the ruler of the Aztecs.

• 07 > The Aztecs used cacao beans as currency and drank chocolate during royal events.

• 08 > Europeans first learned of the immense value of cocoa to the inhabitants of Mesoamerica in 1519. This was thanks to Hernan Cortés, who was received at the court of Montezuma in Tenochtitlan, the ruler of the Aztecs.

• 10 > In Europe, the practice of drinking chocolate for breakfast mainly became popular among women. It was also used in medicine as a remedy for various ailments, such as stomachache.

• 11 > Hot chocolate sweetened with honey or sugar, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, was served at the Spanish court. |

• 12 > Soon every aristocratic household had special vessels for serving hot chocolate.

• 13 > Anna of Austria, a Spanish princess, and her son Louis XIV, an enthusiast of hot chocolate, popularized its consumption among European aristocracy.

• 14 > The first chocolate house was opened in London in 1657. In Europe, hot chocolate was served in vessels specifically designed for this purpose. Water was replaced with milk, and to achieve a velvety consistency, beaten eggs were added with sugar.

The sculpture of the God Quetzalcoatl dates back to 1500 BC. It was found in Mexico. Quetzalcoatl, which translates as the Feathered Serpent, is a deity in Aztec culture combining the characteristics of a serpent and a bird. In Mayan culture he was known as Kukulkan. He was considered to be the god of cocoa, who, according to one legend, gave the cocoa tree to people and taught them how to prepare the first drink from its beans. Quetzalcoatl is also considered a symbol of wisdom and learning.

The Pot from Rio Azul Guatemala dates back to 500 CE. It's a replica of the pot found in the grave of the ruler of Rio Azul in Guatemala. The vessel played a key role in David Stuart's deciphering the hieroglyph that represented the word cacao. Caffeine and theobromine residues were found in the pot indicating that there was cocoa inside it.

This exhibition also contains a hot chocolate cup decorated with thistles, manufactured by Weimarer Porzellanmanufaktur, Germany, 1884-1933. The cup for serving hot chocolate has a characteristic shape that distinguishes it from cups designed for serving coffee and tea. It is larger than a coffee cup, although of similar shape, while being smaller and narrower than a typical tea cup. The shape helps the drink maintain its heat and also preserves the aroma and taste of the hot chocolate for longer.
Here we saw a huge map of the distribution of cocoa crops throughout the world. >>> The model cocoa tree >>>
We learnt that the best conditions for cocoa trees were in the zones between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Although Central and South America are the home of cocoa, most farms are now located in Africa, as well as in India, Madagascar and Indonesia.

Nearly 70% of cocoa is cultivated in Africa, so obtaining this commodity is highly dependent on the weather and economic stability. Currently, the largest producers are two West African countries: Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The cocoa of E.Wedel's Factory comes from Ghana.

The Cocoa Hall at the chocolate museum, Warsaw

This imitation of jungles with cocoa trees is perfect.

A lady from Ghana explained to us the cocoa process/The flavor diagram at the chocolate museum, Warsaw

The Cocoa Hall at the chocolate museum, Warsaw

During our museum tour / Chocolate packing section

The museum tour lasted for an hour and a half. Everything that the museum guide had promised us took place. According to her, we could:

• discover where the cocoa tree grows;
• try starting the chocolate making machines;
• taste roasted cocoa beans and liquid Wedel chocolate straight from the factory;
• take a look at the chocolate city representing Kamionek District of the 20ies and 30ies of the last century;
• learn more about the production and history of the famous brand Ptasie Mleczko® marshmallows.

The 19th-century chocolate production hall

The interactive 19th-century chocolate production hall

We were treated to some wafers and chocolate (dark and white) at the Cocoa Hall of the museum

We watched a movie about the people at E.Wedel Factory

Generations of the chocolate factory employees, Warsaw

Chocolate bar dancing at the chocolate museum, Warsaw: each chocolate bar is a link to a short piece of music. Jumping on the chocolate bars, you can compose your own music and record it on your phone for further sharing with your friends.

It was great to see what they call the Chocolate City that represents Kamionek District of the 20ies-30ies of the last century.

The chocolate packing section was the last one we visited. It contains numerous rare exhibits of how the products of E.Wedel Factory were packed a hundred or more years ago.

A view from the factory terrace on the 6th floor, Warsaw

A view from the factory terrace on the 6th floor, Warsaw

A view of the National Stadium from the factory terrace

This featured blog entry was written by Vic_IV from the blog Our Stay in Poland.
Read comments or Subscribe