The exhibition On the spot and to go. Warsaw cuisine tells the story of the city... from the kitchen! The ways of preparing and serving meals, the most popular dishes or the places where people ate have changed over the centuries, reflecting social, moral and political changes. From the Middle Ages to the present day, archaeological findings, everyday objects, archives, photographs and works of ancient and modern art guide us through this extremely important area of life.

The exhibition On the spot and takeaway. Warsaw Cuisine presents eight centuries of food history in Warsaw. Food occupies an important place in the social history of the city. It perfectly illustrates the transformations taking place, but it has also had a considerable impact on customs, interpersonal relations or the urban space from medieval times to the present day.

The narrative of the exhibition unfolds around home cooking and urban gastronomy. The old ways of preparing and storing food are brought closer by objects from archaeological excavations. Kitchen innovations did not begin until the early 19th century - these too can be traced back to the first gas cookers or appliances such as the ice cream maker, mixer, slicer and electric kettle.

In the next room, on the big table, we will see how important a part of culture is what we eat. How food is served is an expression of identity. Also on display is one of the first editions of Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa's legendary cookbook 365 Dinners for Five Zlotys.

Other parts of the exhibition are devoted to charitable institutions and street food. The origins of today's fashionable street food date back to the Middle Ages, and the exhibition shows how dishes served under a cloud have evolved, as well as what trades and buffets were and how collective eating developed. Café gardens and the sharing of delicacies at picnics along the Vistula River also have a long tradition. The last part of the exhibition talks about eating out, then and now.

On the spot and takeaway is not only a historical perspective, but also a look at the present day. The topicality of the theme of preparing and eating food is evidenced by selected artworks by Bettina Bereś, Dorota Podlaska, Rafał Milach and Pola Dwurnik, among others. Street food, old kitchens, eateries and picnics are depicted in drawings by Jan Piotr Norblin, Franciszek Kostrzewski and Henryk Pillati, photographs by Konrad Brandl or Aleksander Minorski.

The exhibition's themes are close to everyone, including the youngest visitors, so in several places the exhibition seamlessly transitions into a space for play and learning. In addition to a large table with table settings from different eras, there is a space for creative activities - composing your own "meals" from magnets. At the end of the exhibition, visitors can also create their own menu for the "food truck of the Museum of Warsaw".