The Collection of Ancient Sculpture comprises 1190 sculptures. There are two groups worth distinguishing in the collection: original and non-original sculptures. The original ones include objects carved by sculptors working from the 16th to the early 20th century. Non-original sculptures are casts and replicas of world and Polish masterpieces created in non-author workshops from the 18th to the 20th century. In the group of original sculptures, all major trends in Polish and European sculpture from the 16th century onwards are represented. Most of the oldest examples of Renaissance plastic art were acquired from private individuals in the form of purchases or donations. In the group of foreign sculpture from the 18th century onwards, French sculpture is most represented
The collection includes examples of works from most of the important sculptural centres of the former Republic. The oldest representations were donated to the Museum in the interwar period. Wooden works predominate among the oldest sculptures from workshops in the area of the former Republic. Many of them remain without attribution, as research on Old Polish woodcarving is less advanced than on stone sculpture. Woodcarving was practised by separate, specialised workshops. It is only the younger generations of researchers who have addressed their work.