Museums

‘The Sukiennice’ (Cloth Hall) was built in the 14th century in the heart of the Main Square in Krakow as a market hall. In 1879, in the restored building, the first National Museum was established, whose collection was started with a generous gift of Henryk Siemieradzki – a large-sized painting Nero’s Torches. After the completion of the current modernization, the building houses the Gallery of the 19th-Century Polish Art with the collection of more than two hundred paintings and sculptures representing the most significant trends in Polish art at the end of 18th and 19th centuries: Enlightenment, Romanticism, Academic Art, Realism, Polish Impressionism and the beginnings of Symbolism.’ Renovation and modernisation of the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art in the Sukiennice, Krakow. Project carried out between 2007 and 2010. Supported by a grant from Norway through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and promesa programme of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland.

Duration of the visit: 1h – 1h 30min; Polish- speaking guide: 120 PLN; English-speaking guide: 150 PLN; To book a tour in other languages, please contact me. Tickets: 6PLN/kids, students, seniors; 12PLN/adults

Visiting Wawel Castle:

• State Rooms [Representation Rooms] – the visit should be booked in advanced. Visiting in groups of max. 30 persons. Polish-speaking guide: 265PLN; English-speaking guide: 365PLN. Other languages on request. Tickets: 18PLN/ adults, 11PLN/ kids, students, seniors.
• Royal Private Apartments – the visit should be booked in advanced. Visiting in groups of max. 10 persons. Reservation fee: 123PLN/ group of max 10 persons. Tickets: 25PLN/ adults.  19PLN/ kids, students, seniors. Guide included in the tickets’ price.
• Crown Treasury and Armoury – the visit should be booked in advanced. Visiting in groups of max. 30 persons. Polish-speaking guide: 265PLN; English-speaking guide: 365PLN. Tickets: 18PLN/ adults , 11PLN/ kids, students, seniors.
• Other exhibitions: Painting of Leonardo da Vinci ‘lady with Ermine Ticket 10PLN/8PLN; “Oriental Art”; ‘China pottery’  – some of the exhibitions are temporary, so write me an e-mail or call me if you are interested.

KRAKOW under NAZI OCCUPATION 1939 – 1945 Oscar Schindler’s Enamel Factory – The best exhibition in Krakow! The permanent exhibition titled Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939 – 1945 opened at Oscar Schindler’s Enamel Factory – the new branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow situated at Lipowa 4; is primarily a story about the city and its inhabitants, both Polish and Jewish. It is also a story about Nazi Germans – the occupiers who arrived here on 6 September 1939, brutally disrupting Krakow’s centuries-long history of Polish-Jewish relations. This new exhibition has been created with the use of various means that go beyond the framework of traditional museum exhibitions, such as theatricalization of exhibition space, elements of stage design, multimedia solutions, etc. Krakow’s past has been recreated here in an evocative way in order to give visitors an opportunity to experience history in a direct, almost tangible way.

Duration of the visit: 1h 30 min – 2h; Polish-speaking guide: 150PLN; English-speaking guide: 250PLN; Tickets: 19PLN/adult, 16PLN/kids, students, seniors.

Pomorska Street, Krakow during the period 1939-1956. “Krakow during the period 1939-1956″ exhibition is presented in Silesian House at Pomorska Street 2. The exhibition consists of photographs, documents, pinups and propaganda posters, and miscellaneous items- items self-made by prisoners, weapons, uniforms, also items connected with Jewish ghetto in Krakow and the Holocaust. Exposition consists of three parts: The first part reveals Nazi apparatus of terror and occupier’s policy exercised on Polish citizens of Krakow and Holocaust of Krakow’s Jews which took place between 1939-1943. Among the collected items we can see: original documents, photographs, so called “death posters”- lists of polish hostages meant for execution, German propaganda posters, personal items self-made by Polish prisoners – priceless attestations of those times ( e.g. chess made of bread, chaplet made of string, or a napkin embroidered by women detained in Krakow’s Montelupich prison), unique fragments of the Grunwald statue devastated by Germans. Second part of the exposition shows various means of Krakow’s citizens’ rebellion against German occupation, their participation in creating the polish underground. Illustrating boards present information, photos, documents and other objects connected with conspiracy activity of government representation, or rather Krakow’s District Representation, secret education, so called “small sabotage”, underground publishing activity and armed resistance, mainly performed by Home Army. The third, and smallest part of exhibition shows us the activity of independence- longing underground groups from the years after 1945, and examples of Stalin’s’ acts, communist repression apparatus aimed at every opposition against the newly forming totalitarian system. Among the objects a special attention deserve doors from the cell of former prison of Krakow’s Security Service at Inwalidów Square 4, and also a statue showing bust of gen. August Emil Fieldorf “Nil”, creator and commander of Kedyw of Home Army and Organization called “Nie”- a legendary hero of the Underground sentenced to death by PRL’s court in 1953. Tickets: 7PLN/adults, 5PLN/kids, students, seniors.

• Old Synagogue. Szeroka str. – History and culture of cracowian Jews. Tickets: 9PLN/adults, 7PLN/ kids, students, seniors.
• “Eagle Pharmacy” museum. Pl. Bohaterow Getta – Tickets: 10PLN/adults, 8PLN/kids, students, seniors.
• National Museum – 3 Maja 1 str. Painting and sculpture. Permament and temporary exhibitions. It has rich collections of modern art. Ticket prices: Gallery of 20th Century Polish Art, Gallery “Arms and Uniforms in Poland”, Gallery of Decorative Arts – one ticket for three galleries: 5PLN/ kids, students, seniors, 10PLN/ adults.
• Czartoryski Museum – Jana 19. The first museum on polish land. Painting, sculpture, very interesting collection of souvenirs. Famous painting of Leonardo Da Vinci : “Lady with Ermine” (also called “Lady with little weasel”). (It is issued in the Wawel Castle)  – is the ‘icon’ of Cracow. One of the 13 confirmed pictorial masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci. The master art of light-shadow. Anyone who visits Cracow should see this masterpiece. “Countryside with merciful good Samaritan” – painting of Rembrandt from 1638 . It is one of the six oil landscapes painted by Rembrandt. Baroque act of light and shadow. Recently the Museum is under restoration. The Lady with Ermine can be seen in Wawel Castle Museum.
• Museum of Stanislaw Wyspianski (Szolayski House) – Szczepanska 11. On the ground floor interesting temporary exhibitions. First floor – personage of Stanislaw Wyspianski, his paintings, drafts, graphics, stained glasses… Very beautiful! On the last floor – personage of Feliks Jasinski-Manggha, part of japanese art collection, which he gave to the Museum of Japanese art and Technique Manggha. Tickets: 5PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 9PLN/ adults.
• Centre of Japanese art and Technique “Manggha” – M. Konopnickiej 26. It was founded by famous director Andrzej Wajda and his wife Krystyna Zachwatowicz. The land of the rising sun in Cracow. This is the buiding with undulating roof on the right riverside. Tickets: 10PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 15PLN/ adults
• House of Jan Matejko – Florianska 41. Home of a great artist painter. Souvenirs, paintings, drafts, projects. I encourage to visit. Tickets: 4PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 8PLN/ adults
• House of Józef Mehoffer – Krupnicza 26. Artist of “Young Poland”, the student of Jan Matejko and friend of Stanislaw Wyspianski. His works of arts found appreciation in Cracow and abroad. Worth visiting, and in the summer walk through Mehoffer’s Gardens. On Mondays the museum is closed. Tickets: 4PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 8PLN/ adults
• Archidiocesan Museum – Formerly located on 19 Kanonicza street, now turned into a Mobile Museum of John Paul II located in John Paul II Centre in Cracow District of Lagiewniki. Museum connected with the Pope John Paul II. Bedroom and apartament where he lived. Collection of gifts, that he received and then he gave them for exhibition. Painting, sculpture, galery of photographs. Tickets: 3PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 5PLN/ adults.
• Palace of bishop Erazm Ciolek – Kanonicza 17. Art from romanism till baroque. Tickets: 6PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 12PLN/ adults
• Museum of Archeology – Poselska 3. The sculpture of “Swiatowid” from roman limes found in the river Zbrucz. Reconstruction of dresses over the centuries. Archeological finds in Poland and e.g. in Egypt – rich collection of mummy, both human and animal. Very interesting museum for children! Continuous and temporary exhibitions in the main building – tickets: 5PLN/kids, students, seniors; 7PLN/adults; Underground exhibition – tickets: 2PLN/kids, students, seniors; 3PLN/adults;
• Museum of Hipolit’s Family – Jana 19. Reconstruction of bourgeoin house. Tickets: 7PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 9PLN/ adults
• House under the Crucifix – Szpitalna 21. History of cracowian theatre. Personage of famous Helena Modrzejewska who is known also beyond the ocean. Temporary closed.
• Museum of Pharmacy – Florianska 25. History of pharmacy from the middle ages till nowadays. Moreover, at museum, interior of the pharmacy from the XVIIIth century was reconstructed. Tickets: 6PLN/kids, students, seniors; 9PLN/adults.
• Museum of Jagielonski University Collegium Maius – Jagiellonska 15. Tickets: 6PLN/ kids, students, seniors; kids under the age of 7- free admittance:) 12PLN/ adults
• Cracowian factory of stained glasses – Krasinskiego Av. 23. It came into existence in 1902. Those stained glasses decorate many objects in Cracow. Today we can admire them in the Centre of Information & Exhibition on the square All Saints. Three beautiful stained glasses designed by Stanislaw Wyspianski, which were to decorate Wawel cathedral: Prince Henryk Pobozny, St. Stanislaw and King Kazimierz the Great. Guess who is who…??? Reservation in anticipation! Tickets: 15PLN/person; visiting in gropus of at least 10 persons.
• Museum of Etnography – Pl.Wolnica 1. Interesting museum of Polish cultural and religious traditions. Closed on Mondays, free entrance on Saturdays. Tickets: 5PLN/kids, students, seniors; 9PLN/adults.
• Museum of Aviation – Jana Pawla II 39. Place for those who are interested in aviation. Tickets: 7PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 14PLN/ adults
• Museum of Civil Engineering – st.Wawrzynca 15; His first steps on-kart races put Robert Kubica Formula 1 Driver. Closed on Mondays. Tickets: 5,50PLN/ kids, students, seniors; 8PLN/ adults