Things to Do in Krakow
From soaring Gothic churches and royal castles to world-class museums and peaceful parks, Krakow offers something for every traveler.
Schindler's Factory Museum
Podgorze
The former enamelware factory of Oskar Schindler, now a powerful museum documenting Krakow under Nazi occupation (1939-1945). The award-winning exhibition traces daily life, resistance, and the fate of the city's Jewish population.
Learn moreNational Museum
Old Town
Krakow's main art museum with an impressive collection spanning Polish and European art. Highlights include Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" (one of only four surviving Leonardo paintings), medieval arms and armor, and Polish design collections.
Learn moreRynek Underground Museum
Old Town
A high-tech archaeological museum 4 meters beneath the Main Market Square, revealing the medieval foundations of Krakow through interactive displays, holographic recreations of medieval merchants, and preserved remains of 11th-century trading stalls.
Learn moreCzartoryski Museum
Old Town
One of the oldest museums in Poland, founded in 1796. Houses a world-class collection including Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine," Rembrandt works, and ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts.
Learn moreCollegium Maius (Jagiellonian University)
Old Town
The oldest building of Poland's oldest university (founded 1364, second oldest in Central Europe). The stunning Gothic courtyard and museum displays include the desk of Copernicus and the oldest surviving university astronomical instruments.
Learn moreMOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art
Zablocie
Krakow's premier contemporary art museum, opened in 2011 on the site of Schindler's factory. Rotating exhibitions by international and Polish artists, with a permanent collection exploring the relationship between art and social commentary.
Learn moreGalicia Jewish Museum
Kazimierz
A photography museum documenting the traces of Jewish culture in southern Poland. The permanent exhibition challenges traditional approaches to Holocaust memory, presenting both the destruction and the contemporary efforts to remember and preserve Jewish heritage.
Learn moreEagle's Pharmacy (Apteka pod Orlem)
Podgorze
The pharmacy of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, the only Gentile permitted to operate within the Krakow Ghetto. Now a moving museum documenting life in the ghetto and Pankiewicz's efforts to help its Jewish residents — recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
Learn moreEthnographic Museum
Kazimierz
Housed in the historic former Town Hall of Kazimierz, this museum showcases Polish folk culture — traditional costumes, painted Easter eggs, wooden sculptures, and szopki (Krakow nativity scenes). The courtyard hosts seasonal markets.
Learn moreCricoteka — Tadeusz Kantor Center
Podgorze
A striking contemporary building dedicated to the legendary avant-garde theater artist Tadeusz Kantor. The museum documents his revolutionary theatrical works and houses the archive of the Cricot 2 theatre. The building itself is an architectural marvel.
Learn moreCelestat — Marksmen's Fraternity Museum
Old Town
A tiny museum in the historic headquarters of the Krakow Marksmen's Fraternity (Bractwo Kurkowe), one of the oldest civic organizations in Poland (founded 1257). The silver rooster trophy, historical firearms, and the quirky story of this shooting club make for a unique and little-visited experience.
Learn moreArt & Technology Centre
Zablocie
A new-media art space in the Zablocie industrial district hosting interactive installations, digital art, and technology-art crossover exhibitions. Rotating shows explore AI, virtual reality, and digital culture. The converted industrial space adds atmosphere, and the exhibits are consistently surprising.
Learn moreEmeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum
Old Town
A hidden gem housing one of Europe's finest collections of coins, medals, and banknotes in a beautiful 19th-century palace with a modern extension. The numismatic collection spans from ancient Greece to modern Poland, and the library of rare books is exceptional.
Learn moreEuropeum — European Art Centre
Old Town
A branch of the National Museum in a renovated 17th-century granary, housing a fine collection of European paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries. Works by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Lorenzo Lotto, and other Old Masters in an intimate, uncrowded setting. A peaceful alternative to busier museums.
Learn moreJozef Mehoffer House
Old Town
The preserved home and studio of Jozef Mehoffer, a leading Art Nouveau artist and stained glass designer. The house itself is a work of art — original furnishings, gardens, and studios remain as they were. His stained glass designs for Fribourg Cathedral in Switzerland are displayed alongside paintings and decorative arts.
Learn moreMuseum of Illusions
Old Town
An interactive museum near the Main Square with optical illusions, holograms, and perception-bending installations. The infinity room, the tilted room, and the clone table are popular for photos. Not a traditional museum, but genuinely fun for families and anyone curious about how the brain processes visual information.
Learn moreMuseum of Municipal Engineering
Kazimierz
Housed in a former tram depot in Kazimierz, this surprisingly engaging museum covers the history of Krakow's infrastructure — trams, cars, printing presses, and technology. The vintage vehicle collection includes trams you can board and a hands-on area for children. A hit with kids and engineering enthusiasts.
Learn moreArchaeological Museum
Old Town
The garden alone is worth the visit — a peaceful oasis with ancient stone sculptures. Inside, collections span from prehistoric Poland through Egyptian mummies to medieval Krakow. The famous Swiatowid stone idol is the star exhibit.
Learn moreBunkier Sztuki (Art Bunker)
Old Town
A brutalist gallery on the Planty park ring, controversial when built in the 1960s but now beloved for its cutting-edge contemporary art exhibitions. The rooftop terrace cafe offers excellent Main Square views.
Learn moreManggha Centre of Japanese Art
Podgorze
A striking modern building on the Vistula riverbank housing one of Europe's finest collections of Japanese art. Designed by Arata Isozaki, the museum also hosts tea ceremonies, film screenings, and cultural exchanges.
Learn moreMuseum of Photography
Old Town
Rotating exhibitions of Polish and international photography in a beautifully restored townhouse. The collection spans from 19th-century daguerreotypes to contemporary digital art.
Learn morePharmacy Museum
Old Town
One of the largest pharmacy museums in Europe, housed in a medieval townhouse. Centuries of pharmaceutical history through original equipment, rare medicines, and alchemical instruments. The reconstructed 18th-century pharmacy is a highlight.
Learn morePolish Aviation Museum
Nowa Huta
Housed on a former airfield, this vast museum displays over 200 aircraft spanning from WWI biplanes to Cold War MiGs. Interactive exhibitions cover the history of Polish aviation, including the legendary 303 Squadron.
Learn moreStained Glass Museum & Workshop
Old Town
A working stained glass workshop since 1902 where you can watch artisans create using the same techniques as Stanislaw Wyspianski. The museum traces the history of stained glass art and offers workshops for visitors.
Learn moreSzolayski House — Mloda Polska Gallery
Old Town
Dedicated to the Polish Art Nouveau movement (Mloda Polska), featuring works by Wyspianski, Mehoffer, and Malczewski. The building itself is a beautiful Renaissance palace.
Learn moreHome Army Museum (AK Museum)
Old Town
Dedicated to Poland's legendary underground resistance army during World War II — the Armia Krajowa. The museum documents coded messages, secret weapons, sabotage operations, and the incredible bravery of ordinary Poles who resisted Nazi occupation. A deeply patriotic and moving exhibition.
Learn moreMOCAK — Museum of Contemporary Art
Zablocie
Built on the grounds adjacent to Schindler's Factory, MOCAK is Krakow's premier contemporary art museum. The permanent collection features Polish and international artists addressing war, memory, identity, and politics. Rotating exhibitions are often provocative and always thought-provoking. Free entry on Tuesdays.
Learn moreNowa Huta Museum (PRL Museum)
Nowa Huta
A museum documenting daily life in communist Poland through the lens of Nowa Huta — the "ideal socialist city" built from scratch in the 1950s. Original furniture, propaganda posters, consumer goods, and film footage recreate an era that shaped modern Poland. Essential for understanding post-war Polish history.
Learn moreWyspianski Museum (Szolayski House)
Old Town
Dedicated to Stanislaw Wyspianski — Krakow's most celebrated artist, playwright, and poet — in a restored Renaissance palace. His stained glass designs, paintings, theatrical works, and the famous pastel portraits of children are all displayed with excellent context. A must for understanding Krakow's artistic soul.
Learn moreEagle Pharmacy (Apteka Pod Orlem)
Podgorze
The only pharmacy permitted to operate inside the Krakow Ghetto, run by Tadeusz Pankiewicz who risked his life to help Jewish residents. Now a museum with original fixtures, it tells the story of the ghetto through Pankiewicz's eyewitness account. Small but deeply moving — one of the most important Holocaust sites in Krakow.
Learn moreGallery of 19th-Century Polish Art (Cloth Hall)
Old Town
The upper floor of the medieval Cloth Hall houses Poland's most important collection of 19th-century painting, including Matejko's colossal historical canvases and Chelmonski's landscapes. The gallery was recently renovated with excellent lighting. Don't miss the balcony views of the Main Square.
Learn moreNational Museum Main Building
Old Town
The flagship building of Poland's oldest national museum, housing a vast collection of Polish painting and sculpture from the medieval period to the 20th century. The gallery of Mloda Polska (Polish Art Nouveau) is world-class, and the military collection includes arms and armor spanning eight centuries. Allow at least 2-3 hours.
Learn moreOskar Schindler's Enamel Factory
Zablocie
The actual factory where Oskar Schindler employed and protected over 1,000 Jewish workers during WWII. Now a museum telling the story of Krakow under Nazi occupation from 1939-1945 through immersive exhibits, personal testimonies, and reconstructed environments. One of the best WWII museums in Europe. Book tickets online — it sells out daily.
Learn moreRynek Underground Museum
Old Town
A vast underground museum beneath the Main Market Square, accessed through the Cloth Hall. Archaeological excavations revealed the medieval market stalls, trade routes, and daily life of Krakow 700 years ago. Holographic projections and interactive displays bring the buried city back to life. One of the most innovative museum experiences in Europe.
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