Museums

Fryderyk Chopin Museum (p.36) | © Marcin Czechowicz

Warsaw boasts some superior museums, ranging from world-class attractions full of multimedia displays, to small institutions covering niche historical events. It’s more than we have space to cover here, but you’ll find them all listed and up-todate on our website. In this guide, some of the city’s most important museums are listed within the district tours of Sightseeing section, while the rest of the best are here. Descriptions focus on each museum’s permanent collection; for current temporary exhibits, see p.50.

Archdiocese Museum

Opened in 1938, this Old Town Museum showcases more than 20,000 items dating from the Middle Ages up to today, and is surprising for its wealth of secular art. Split into two sections - the Sacred and the Profane - the former includes old monstrances, chalices and liturgical vestments, as well as paintings and sculptures presenting scenes from the life of Jesus, Mary and the saints, plus personal items once belonging to Pope John Paul II. The latter includes lots of furniture and clocks, plus sculpture and paintings, including works by famous artists such as Wyspiański, Matejko, Malczewski, Józef Czapski and even Beksiński. One of the highlights of the museum is to enter the ‘Royal Corridor’ (also known as the ‘Piekarski Corridor’) that formerly connected the Royal Castle with the Cathedral, and was built to ensure King Sigismund III Vasa’s safe passage between the two following an assassination attempt in 1620. Visiting time: 1hr.QG-4, ul. Dziekania 1, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 621 34 14, www.maw.art.pl. Open 12:00-18:00; Sat, Sun 12:00-16:00; closed Mon. Admission 25/18zł. U

Katyń Museum

Found in the Warsaw Citadel - a massive 19th century fortress - this museum documents the shocking events of 1940 when 22,000 Polish officers were executed by their Soviet captors in the middle of a Russian forest. The museum has a host of objects, documents and personal effects that have been recovered from the site near Smoleńsk, Russia. The artefacts from the victims and a scrolling list of their names need no explanation, while the multimedia presentation of the extenuating circumstances, the victims’ stories and the entire event’s historical relevancy are wellthought out and thoroughly moving. Visiting time: 2hrs.QE-1, ul. Jana Jeziorańskiego 4 (entrance from Nowomiejska gate), MDworzec Gdański, tel. (+48) 261 87 83 42, www.muzeumkatynskie.pl. Open 10:00-16:00; closed Mon, Tue. Admission free. Guided tours (EN, PL) 60zł. Audioguides (EN, PL, DE, FR, RU) 10zł. U

Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum

Born in Warsaw on November 7, 1867, local lass Maria Skłodowska would become better known to the world as Madame Marie Curie. Located in the building she was born in, this charming museum pays homage to the life and work of the two-time Nobel Prize-winning physicist and chemist, whose many accomplishments include the discovery of polonium (named after the country of her birth). Comprising five rooms, visitors will learn about her family and early life, see a recreation of her Parisian laboratory, plus many personal effects, including private letters, scientific instruments, and the black georgette coat worn during her last stay in Poland in 1932. Of particular interest is an elephant, gifted by US President Herbert Hoover, which Skłodowska-Curie received during her 1929 visit to the White House - the purpose of which was to secure $50,000 for the purchase of a gram of radium for the fledgling Radium Institute in Warsaw. Visiting time: 1hr.QF-3, ul. Freta 16, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 831 80 92, www.mmsc. waw.pl. Open 12:00-18:00; closed Mon, Sun. Admission 11/6zł, Tue free. U

Museum of Caricature & Cartoon Art

This obscure little museum offers a rich diversion for those interested in comics, cartoons, ‘the funny papers’ and any odd or humourous illustrations. Named after its founder and first director - Polish satirist and caricaturist Eryk Lipiński - the collection dates back to 1978 and includes over 25,000 drawings, paintings, posters and sculptures, some dating all the way back to the 18th century. Of course the contemporary stuff is the funniest, and the collection includes many foreign artists as well as Polish ones. This is about as niche as it gets, and ‘The Guardian’ named it one of the ‘10 Best Museums in Europe You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.’ Visiting time: 1hr.QF-5, ul. Kozia 11, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 827 88 95, www.muzeumkarykatury.pl. Open 10:0013:00, 14:00-18:00; closed Mon. Admission 10/5zł. Tue free.

Museum of Dollhouses, Games & Toys

A small, charming and antiquated museum fittingly located right in Warsaw’s Old Town. Showcasing over 150 highly-detailed historical dollhouses, plus various other minature settings, the museum’s two permanent exhibits - ‘The Bygone World of Dollhouses’ and ‘Religious Toys’ - both show unique handcrafted models, costumes and toys, while also demonstrating how tastes and fashions have changed over time. Another small branch nearby at ul. Krzywe Koło 2/4 (F-4) hosts temporary exhibits (currently toys from the PRL-era). Visiting time: 45-60mins.QF-4, ul. Podwale 15, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 797 72 30 29, www.muzeumdomkow.pl. Open 11:00-19:00. Tickets 28/18zł, kids under 1m tall, free. Museum of Life under Communism

If Warsaw’s communist history isn’t vivid enough for you on a walk around the capital, immerse yourself in PRL vibes at this private museum. Showing what everyday life was like for locals during the years of Poland’s communist rule, the nostalgic exhibits include a recreation of a typical PRL-era apartment, plus plenty of photos, artefacts and relics that demonstrate the difficulty and absurdity of those times. Bittersweet for older Poles and eye-opening for foreigners. Visiting time: 1hr.QG-10, ul. Piękna 28/34 (corner of Plac Konstytucji and ul. Piękna), MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 511 04 48 08, www.mzprl.pl. Open 10:00-18:00; Fri 12:00-20:00. Admission 20/14zł. Audioguides free on Thu (EN, FR, IT, ESP)

National Ethnographic Museum

Tragically overlooked by most visitors to Warsaw, this joy of a museum showcases all that’s best about Poland’s cultural heritage - colourful folk costumes, customs and traditions, tools and instruments, outsider art, handicrafts and more - all of it beautifully presented in a superb historical building. Interestingly, there’s also a ‘Korean Gallery’ with a traditional Korean ‘hanok’. One of the city’s most active cultural institutions, they host many events and worskhops, and you can expect multiple temporary exhibits at a time (check online for details). Visiting time: 2-3hrs. QF-6, ul. Kredytowa 1, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 827 76 41, www.ethnomuseum.pl. Open 11:0019:00; Thu 11:00-17:00; Sat, Sun 12:00-18:00; closed Mon. Tickets 14/7zł, Thu free. U

Invisible Exhibition

Would you pay for an exhibition you can’t see? This unique experience takes you into the world of the sightless, and you’re led there by guides who are all partially or completely blind themselves. To get you acclimated to the challenges blind people face daily, you’ll tap on a Braille typewriter, test out gadgets that help the sightless do tasks in the kitchen, and try to solve simple puzzles while wearing a blindfold. Once you’re sufficiently awed by your inability to do even minor tasks, next is a series of pitch-black rooms that force you to rely on your other senses. You’ll feel the contours of a sculpture to discern what kind of art it is, listen for cars before crossing the street, and, if you bring some cash, the guide will even serve you a drink in the completely dark bar. An eyeopening experience that will have you thinking heavily about what you take for granted, if you’re interested in visiting, it’s wise to book online in advance. Tours in English can be arranged, but you must first email them via info@niewidzialna. pl with TOUR IN ENGLISH as the subject line. Visiting time: 1hr.QC-9, Al. Jerozolimskie 123A, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 504 32 44 44, www.niewidzialna.pl. Open 14:00-20:00; Fri 12:0020:00; Sat, Sun 10:00-20:00. Admission 35/30zł; Sat, Sun 39/33zł. N NBP Money Centre

Though it may look uninspiring from the outside, inside the HQ of the National Bank of Poland lies one of Warsaw’s best museums - and it’s free! Okay, we know, the airport-style security is a bit much, and economics is not the most enticing topic, but hear us out: this super-modern and fantastically interactive journey through the history of world commerce - from ancient civilisations to the present day - is great fun for both kids and adults. Along the way you’ll explore a walk-in safe, get to hold a real bar of gold (heavier than you think!) and learn how to spot fake banknotes. Recommended. Visiting time: 1.52hrs.QG-7, ul. Świętokrzyska 11/21, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 185 25 25, www.cpnbp.pl. Open 10:00-18:00; Thu 10:00-20:00; closed Mon.

Pharmacy Museum

This charming Old Town museum presents the quaint interior of an interwar pharmacy filled with glass vials and beakers, wooden furnishings, period advertisements and vintage pharmaceutical equipment. Inside you’ll get a healthy dose of history about medicine, poison, and narcotics. Although niche, it really is a wonderful visit; in fact a recent refurbishment has resulted in a nomination for European Museum of the Year 2022.QF-4, ul. Piwna 31/33, MRatusz Arsenał, tel. (+48) 22 831 71 79, www. muzeumfarmacji.muzeumwarszawy.pl. Open 10:0018:00; closed Mon. Admission 10/7zł. Thu free.

Railway Museum

This train museum is located in Warszawa Główna Osobowa (Warsaw Main Railway Station), which originally served as a goods transport hub on the Warsaw-Vienna line from 1875, becoming a main train station from 1945 as it was one of the few to not be destroyed during the Second World War; it was closed in 1997. Inside are four large rooms full of working and static models of classic and modern trains, large train sets, uniforms and old engines in all possible conditions. Outside you’ll find one of the few (if not only) remaining armoured railway trains in Europe. Heaven if you like this kind of thing, and made even better by sound English translations. Visiting time: 60-90mins.QC-9, ul. Towarowa 3, MRondo Daszyńskiego, tel. (+48) 22 620 04 80, www.stacjamuzeum.pl. Open 10:00-18:00. Admission 14/7zł; kids under 7 free; Mon free. U

Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art

Completed in a Baroque style in 1730, Ujazdowski was gutted by fire during WWII and torn down by communist authorities, who built a military theatre on the site. Common sense prevailed and the 1970s saw the castle rebuilt to its original design. Today several large exhibition halls showcase a rotating collection of the very best contemporary art; find a wild mix of the good, the bad and the ugly, by leading Polish and international artists. The castle also houses a very good bookshop, a fantastic cinema (U-Jazdowski Kino) and a top-notch restaurant/café, plus it’s surrounded by a lovely park. Visiting time: 2hrs.QI-10, ul. Jazdów 2, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 22 628 12 71, www.u-jazdowski.pl. Open 11:00-18:00; Thu, Fri 12:0020:00; Sat 10:00-19:00; closed Mon. Admission for all exhibits 16/8zł; 2 exhibits 12/6zł; 1 exhibit 10/5zł; project room 5zł; students up to 26, 1zł; Thu free. U

Warsaw National Museum

Located inside a huge and decidedly bizarre inter-war building, this is Warsaw’s most comprehensive art museum, leading you from the ancient world through the middle ages up to the 19th century. Along the way you’ll see the some of the country’s most priceless works, including 15th century Dutch masters and Botticelli, plus Polish masters like Chełmoński, Matejko and Wyspiański. There’s also the Gallery of Polish Design and the Faras Gallery - the latter of which holds a rare exhibit of medieval Nubian art from the Nile River Valley, plus temporary exhibits. Visiting time: 3hrs.QH-8, Al. Jerozolimskie 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 621 10 31, www.mnw.art.pl. Open 10:00-18:00; Fri 10:0020:00; closed Mon. Admission 20/10zł for permanent exhibits; kids and students up to 26, 1zł; Tue free. U

Zachęta National Gallery of Art

One of the leading galleries in Poland, with a focus on the contemporary. Located in a beautiful Renaissancestyle palace in the centre of Warsaw, just across from the Saxon Garden, the setting itself is worth a visit. What makes Zachęta more of a gallery than museum is that there is no core permenant exhibition on display, but rather top-notch temporary exhibits showcasing the best in Polish and international contemporary art. As a result you get leading-edge art in an old European environment. Recommended. Visiting time 60-90mins.QF-6, Pl. Małachowskiego 3, MNowy ŚwiatUniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 556 96 00, www.zacheta.art. pl. Open 12:00-20:00; closed Mon. Admission 20/10zł, family ticket 25zł, students 2zł. Thu free. U6