Art Tourism

Art, History & Culture | Art Tourism Poznań’s Best Spaces for Art & Music

Okay, so Poznań isn’t exactly in the Polish avant-garde when it comes to the art scene. While the bulk of the cultural goings-on are to be found in Kraków and Warsaw, here you’ll find some more traditional and low-key artistic endeavors, including solid operatic and philharmonic programmes and the occasional high-profile exhibition. Wandering around the streets will also reveal delightful and memorable street art, including the works of well-known Poznań artist Noriaki. We list our top recommendations below. 1 Grand Theatre Built in 1910, the Grand Theatre is the most 4 Poznań Philharmonic Tracing its origin to 1919, the Poznań prestigious venue in town for opera and ballet Philharmonic is the place to enjoy classical performances - both classical and contemporary. music in the city.QF‑7, ul. Św. Marcin 81, QF‑6, ul.Fredry 9, opera.poznan.pl. filharmoniapoznanska.pl.

2 Arsenał City Gallery One of the oldest players on Poz’s art gallery scene, the Arsenal hosts free exhibitions by Polish and foreign artists.QJ‑6, ul. Szyperska 2, arsenal.art.pl.

5 National Museum An excellent museum with a rich history of modern Polish art, medieval art, and impressive Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Flemish paintings.QSee p.41.

3 ZAMEK Culture Centre One of Poland’s biggest cultural institutions, the Imperial Castle hosts over 2500 events anually, acting as a theatre, gallery, cinema, and concert venue. It also houses the 1956 Uprising Museum (p.23).QF‑7, ul. Św. Marcin 80/82, ckzamek.pl.

6 Stary Browar It’s a bit weird to recommend a shopping mall in an art category, but Stary Browar is much more than that - housed in an old brewery, this award-winning urban renewal complex is filled with sculptures and artistic installations.QSee p.18.

Murals & Street Art

For a long time, the height of Polish street art amounted to scrawling less print-friendly versions of “All Cops Are Bastards” and “Lech Poznań 4ever” on residential buildings and/or historical monuments in the dead of night. Better times for art have arrived though, and the local scene took off in 2011 with the first edition of the Outer Spaces Festival, which saw renowned muralists invited to spice up the drab exteriors of carefully-chosen buildings. Since then more murals have popped up, but not everyone has opted for the legal route: a certain Banksy-esque character operating under the pseudonym Noriaki is responsible for tagging the city walls with variations of Pan Peryskop (Mr. Periscope) AKA The Watcher - a loveable maverick who has integrated himself into the fabric of the city. Now that you know, you’ll see him everywhere. Fancy a walking tour of Poznań’s best street art - like this mural at right by Grzegorz Myćki? Scan the QR code or head to iyp.me/74322f for a rundown of not-to-be-missed specimens, all pinned with GPS.