Krzysztofory Palace - Museum of Krakow

What to expect

Krzysztofory Palace, in the north-west corner of the Main Market Square, is the main seat of the Museum of Krakow and home to its flagship exhibition. Inside the thoroughly modernised baroque residence runs the permanent show “Kraków od początku, bez końca” (Krakow from the beginning, without end), which tells the city’s story from the first settlements to the present day: the medieval charter, the golden age, the partitions of Poland, the Free City, up to contemporary Krakow. It is a modern, well-produced narrative with models, multimedia and original artefacts, set in historic rooms overlooking the square.

It helps to know what Krzysztofory is not: this is not a museum of a single era or theme but a synthesis. If you want to understand how Krakow became what it is, start here, then go deeper at the specialist branches. The palace is also tied to Krakow’s nativity-scene tradition (szopki), inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage; the museum has run the annual szopka competition for decades, and the post-competition displays are shown at Krzysztofory.

Visiting in practice

Set aside ninety minutes to two hours for the permanent exhibition; it is dense, and it is easy to stay longer. A standard ticket costs 34 PLN, reduced 29 PLN. On Tuesdays entry to the permanent exhibition is free, with tickets available online or at the box office while they last. The branch is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:00 for individual visitors and 16:45 for groups. It is closed on Mondays, and the museum has announced an additional closure on 15 August. Tickets can be bought in advance at bilety.muzeumkrakowa.pl, which saves queuing in high season. Exhibition texts are captioned in English as well as Polish.

Getting there

Krzysztofory stands at Rynek Główny 35, where Szczepańska street meets the square, so getting here means getting to the Main Square: a fifteen-minute walk from the main railway station through the Planty park or along Floriańska street, or a tram to the Teatr Bagatela or Stary Teatr stops and a two or three minute walk. The zone around the square is closed to cars, so leave any vehicle outside the centre.

Nearby

The natural complements are on the other side of the square: Rynek Underground reveals medieval Krakow beneath the pavement, and the Sukiennice gallery shows 19th-century Polish painting. A few streets away, the Czartoryski Museum holds Leonardo’s Lady with an Ermine.