Frederick Chopin Museum Opened in Warsaw on His 200th Birthday

Frederick Chopin Museum opened today in Warsaw, on the 200th birthday of the great polish composer.

Amongst the artifacts, visitors can see the last piano that Chopin composed on, a death mask made after he died of possible tuberculosis and a lock of his brown hair.

The museum is located in the center of Warsaw, where infant Chopin moved in from a nearby country estate, and spent the first 20 years of his life before moving to Paris.

Many of the artifacts related to the romantic composer, such as letters were destroyed by women he was romantically involved with while others in the World War II.

Since 1899, Polish authorities has been gathering musical scores, sketches and other objects connected to Chopin, which are are priceless in terms of emotional value.

The museum is arranged thematically with spaces devoted to different aspects of his life. The final room is devoted to his death on Oct. 17, 1849 at age 39. It contains a plaster death mask taken of Chopin's face. On display are also invitations to his memorial service in Paris, as well as a lock of his brown hair treasured by his family.

The museum is housed in the stately Ostrogski Palace, home of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, in the center of Warsaw.