Showing 1-23 of 23 results
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Archaeological Museum
The north end of Plac Bankowy (Bank Square) is a busy intersection overlooked by the former Arsenal, a massive 17th-century building that now houses the Archaeological Museum. Its permanent exhibition on the prehistory of Poland is periodically enlivened by temporary displays.
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Chopin Museum
Inside the Ostrogski Palace is a small Chopin Museum with static displays related to the great musician's life; there are a few interesting pieces, such as Chopin's last piano and death mask, but it's really only for fans. Guides are available for around zl100 (English guides must be booked in advance).
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Ethnographic Museum
The top floor of the Ethnographic Museum provides for a good introduction into the country's rural heart, with a small but fine assembly of Polish folk art and crafts, but it's the portrait shots of indigenous people from across the globe that steals the show.
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Fabryka Trzciny
In the up-and-coming Praga neighbourhood is Fabryka Trzciny, a former marmalade factory that's become one of the city's leading art centres, hosting a broad range of events plus a gallery and restaurant. Note that Praga is not safe to wander at night; it's best to travel from A to B by taxi.
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Historical Museum of Warsaw
On the northern side of the Old Town Square is the Historical Museum of Warsaw . It's a worthwhile introduction to the city, capturing seminal moments in Warsaw's history through photographs and documents. Its film covering the reconstruction of the city, screened several times daily (the English version is at noon), is fascinating.
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Jewish Historical Institute
The Jewish Historical Institute houses a library and paintings, sculptures, and old religious objects related to Jewish culture. However it's the exhibition on the Warsaw Ghetto that sticks with you when you leave. Black-and-white photos and 40 minutes of original film footage from the Ghetto hit home - images of the atrocious conditions Jews were forced to endure, with starvation and death part of everyday life, tell a disturbing tale.
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John Paul II Collection
On Plac Bankowy (Bank Square), the former stock exchange and Bank of Poland building - a grand neoclassical building designed by Antonio Corazzi in the 1820s - houses the John Paul II Collection, an art collection donated to the Catholic Church by the Carrol-Porczyński family. It's quite a surprise to find the likes of Dali, Van Gogh, Constable, Rubens, Goya and Renoir gracing the walls of a fairly non-descript museum, and to normally have them all to yourself. Polish artists are also represented, including Warsaw-born Wojciech Gerson (1831-1901), whose massive Baptism of Lithuania (1889), which beautifully captures Lithuania's conversion to Christianity, is highly expressive despite lacking colour.
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Klimy Bocheńskiej
In the up-and-coming Praga neighbourhood is the disused redbrick Koneser Vodka Factory, dating from the early 20th century. It houses two progressive galleries including Klimy Bocheńskiej, specialising contemporary art from a wide range of media.
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Koneser Vodka Factory
In the up-and-coming Praga neighbourhood is the disused redbrick Koneser Vodka Factory, dating from the early 20th century. It houses two progressive galleries, Luksfera (specialising in photography) and Klimy Bocheńskiej (specialising in contemporary art). Note that Praga is not safe to wander at night; it's best to travel from A to B by taxi.
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Literature Museum
The Literature Museum features a permanent exhibition dedicated to Adam Mickiewicz, Poland's most famous poet.
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Luksfera
In the up-and-coming Praga neighbourhood is the disused redbrick Koneser Vodka Factory, dating from the early 20th century. It houses two progressive galleries including Luksfera, specialising in photography. Note that Praga is not safe to wander at night; it's best to travel from A to B by taxi.
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Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum
Marie Curie was born in 1867 along Ul Freta (the New Town's main street), and her former home now houses the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum which chronicles the life and work of this distinguished scientist.
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Museum of Caricature
A short detour off ul Krakowskie Przedmieście leads to the quirky Museum of Caricature. The museum holds around 15,000 original works by Polish and foreign caricaturists dating from the 18th-century onwards, plus satirical and humorous books, magazines, and the like. Displays are rotated on a regular basis.
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Museum of Independence
Stranded on a traffic island in the middle of Al Solidarności, close to Plac Bankowy, is the Museum of Independence, which has a small room devoted to the Solidarity movement and stages temporary exhibitions related to Poland's struggles for independence.
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Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Opposite the Ghetto Heroes Monument is the site of the proposed Museum of the History of Polish Jews. The museum will be a multimedia and education centre, but as it's still in the design stage it's hard to know what will be included, or how the building will even look. At the time of writing, Finnish architects Lahdelma & Mahlamäki have been chosen for the design, and the entire project is expected to cost more than $US65 million.
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Muzeum Pawilon-X
From the huge gate overlooking the river known as Brama Straceń (Gate of Execution), a short cobbled road leads to the Muzeum Pawilon-X, which preserves a wing of the old political prison.
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National Museum
Containing almost 800,000 items in its permanent galleries, the National Museum is the largest museum in the country. It's housed in a massive building, which is wheelchair accessible, at the western end of Al Jerozolimskie.
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Pawiak Prison Museum
Take tram 16, 17, 19, 29 or 33 northbound on Al Jana Pawła II to the Anielewicza stop, and walk back south one block to the ugly concrete bunker of Pawiak Prison Museum. Built between 1830 and 1833, Pawiak was Poland's most notorious political prison, once used for incarcerating the enemies of the Russian tsar.
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Polish Army Museum
Next door to the National Museum, and housed in the same building, is the Polish Army Museum, which presents the history of the Polish army from the creation of the Polish state until WWII. Heavy armour, tanks and fighter planes from WWII are displayed in the park adjoining the museum.
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Poster Museum
Standing separately from the rest of the Wilanów complex just outside the palace gates is the Poster Museum. Its vaults house a massive 55,000 posters - one of the largest collections in the world - but only a fraction of this is shown at one time. Exhibitions change regularly, making it a museum to visit time and time again.
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Warsaw Rising Museum
On the southwestern edge of the former Jewish Ghetto stands the modern Warsaw Rising Museum . Housed in a beautifully restored redbrick power station, it traces the history of the Rising through three levels of interactive displays, photographs, film archives and the personal accounts of those who survived.
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Water Reservoir
In Łazienki Park, about halfway between the Palace on the Water and Al Ujazdowskie, is the circular Water Reservoir , which stored water for distribution through wooden pipes to the palace and its fountain; it now houses an art gallery.
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Zachęta Gallery of Modern Art
The Zachęta Gallery of Modern Art is a beautiful neoclassical temple that stages temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, mostly along the lines of video constellations. Its bookshop has a fine collection of art books, but most are in Polish.
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Showing 1-23 of 23 results
