On the grounds of the Museum of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko in Okopy, the ceremony of laying the foundation stone took place. Budimex SA is the general contractor of the investment. The event symbolically inaugurated the next stage of the project dedicated to the life, activities and heritage of the Solidarity chaplain. The facility will play an important role in nurturing the memory of one of the important figures of Polish’s recent history.
The building will be part of the Podlaskie Museum in Białystok, run jointly by the Podlaskie Voivodeship and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The new center is being built in the village of Okopy in the Suchowola commune – the place of birth and youth of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko. The project is implemented under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment 2021–2027 (FEnIKS) Programme,
under Area 1: Development of cultural infrastructure.
In a letter addressed to the participants of the event, read out during the ceremony, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, wrote:
– I am deeply convinced that the museum erected in Okopy, partly at the expense of society, dedicated to the memory of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko, will become a living monument of the fortitude of spirit and steadfastness of the Priest’s conscience and the principle that guides him: ‘Conquer evil with good’. I believe that in the future it will be a testimony of a short, but beautiful and hard-working life, which once became a symbol of hope and rebirth for Poles.
“The laying of the foundation stone is a symbolic moment for the entire investment and all the people involved in its implementation. The construction of the Museum of Bl. Rev. Jerzy Popiełuszko is a project of exceptional social and historical importance. As a Polish general contractor, we are aware of the responsibility associated with the implementation of a place that will serve future generations as a space of remembrance, education and reflection ,” said Piotr Doroszko, Regional Director of Budimex SA.
The contract for the implementation of the investment was signed in July 2025. The value of the contract is PLN 44.27 million gross, and the completion of the works is planned for the first quarter of 2027. The plot for the construction of the museum was donated by the Rev. Jerzy Popiełuszko “Dobro” Foundation, which also financed an architectural project prepared by the Warsaw-based studio Nizio Design International.
Scope of work and importance for the region
The scope of works carried out by Budimex includes, among m.in, demolition and earthworks, construction of a museum facility, sanitary, electrical and heating installations, finishing works and land development. Currently, reinforced concrete works on the building have been completed, underground infrastructure, sanitary networks and retaining walls have been made. Installation, flooring, façade and land development works are underway.
In the near future, m.in will begin, among other things, the assembly of the steel structure, the construction of the roof covering and the installation of concrete façade cladding. A technically demanding element was the implementation of a sloping roof over the cluster room made of 24 prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs, the assembly of which took a week after three months of preparations.
The museum will be a modern educational and cultural space presenting the spiritual, social and historical heritage of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko. The institution will present his pastoral activity, commitment to the defense of dignity
and human rights and the message “Evil with good wins” in the context of the history of Polish and the region.
– Such a place is to be the museum under construction. It will be used for education, meetings and conversation about history and values important to Blessed Fr. Jerzy. This will be especially important for the young generation. I would like to thank all the people and institutions involved in the implementation of this project. Thanks to joint work, this idea is becoming a reality,” said Łukasz Prokorym, Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship.
Budimex SA has many years of experience in the implementation of cultural facilities and investments important from the perspective of national heritage. The company was responsible, m.in, for the construction of the Museum of Polish History at the Citadel in Warsaw – one of the largest and most modern museum facilities in Europe. The company’s portfolio also includes such projects as the modernization of the Polish Theatre in Szczecin or the construction of a new headquarters of the State Archives in Bydgoszcz, equipped with modern technological solutions enabling safe storage of archival collections.
