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On 23 September of the same year, the Society established the “Museum of Polish and Slavic Antiquities in the Grand Duchy of Poznań”, also known as the “Museum of National Antiquities”. In 1882, it was renamed the Mielżyński Museum, in recognition of the enormous contribution of the Mielżyński counts to its development. The Museum collected a wide range of national memorabilia, including archaeological artefacts acquired both through donations and as a result of archaeological excavations.
The Museum and the Society were successively based at the Raczyński Library (1857–1870), the Bazar Hotel (1870–1882), and subsequently in a building on what was then Młyńska Street (now Mielżyńskiego Street), which was reconstructed and extended several times.
The collections were supervised by curators of the collections (the equivalent of today's museum curators). The positions were held successively by: teacher Maksymilian Studniarski (1858–1860); Roger Raczyński's retired steward and private tutor Albin Gorecki (1860–1866); lawyer and journalist Władysław Wierzbiński (1866–1868); teacher and writer Hieronim Feldmanowski (1868–1882); Klemens Kantecki (1882–1885); historian and philologist Bolesław Erzepki (1885–1923); and prehistorian Józef Kostrzewski (1914–1923, serving as second curator).
In the Museum's early years, an important role in developing the collections was also played by the Society's then-secretary, Leon Wegner. By the end of the 19th century, the Mielżyński Museum had amassed the largest archaeological collections among the learned societies operating in what was then the Prussian state. This achievement was largely due to the support of Polish landowners and clergy, through whom numerous private collections were acquired.
Members of the Society of Friends of Learning also took part in archaeological research, thereby expanding the Museum's collections. Among the acquisitions were unique objects, such as the Bytyń oxen, dating from the Early Bronze Age and discovered in the Szamotuły district, as well as finds from sites investigated according to the highest scientific standards of the time, including materials from Manieczki in the Śrem district, excavated by Antoni Białecki in 1858.
In order to ensure that archaeological excavations were conducted to the highest possible scientific standards, the Society established an Archaeological Commission (renamed the Archaeological Section in 1885). Although it operated intermittently, the Commission served as a forum for the exchange of ideas and inspired its members to undertake excavations and publish their findings.
Among the best-known members of the Commission in its early years were Antoni Białecki and Kazimierz Szulc, followed later by Władysław Jażdżewski and Hieronim Feldmanowski. After the establishment of the Archaeological Section in 1885, its members included Klemens Koehler, Romuald and Bolesław Erzepki, Władysław Łebiński, Wincenty Zenkteller, Augustyn Kalk, Ignacy Zakrzewski and Albin Węsierski.
Many of the members of the Archaeological Commission made an enormous contribution not only to the development of archaeological research in Greater Poland, but also to the Museum of the Society of Friends of Learning by donating objects from their own collections.
Jarmila Kaczmarek, article published in: “Muzeum Archeologiczne w Poznaniu. Historia i współczesność”, ed. M. Przybył, Poznań 2007
