TRIPS AND TRICKS!
ALL MUSEUMS HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY VISITED BY THE AUTHOR!
Wawel - world class, you can't miss it, this big building by the Vistula River when you enter the city. Potentially there is an option to visit it for free (Monday), but the tickets pass away quickly. The Wawel Hill is free, the same is for the Cathedral during a mess. Imagine there are still people living in Wawel, and they are not kings.
Tip - avoid Dragon Cave, boring, although you want to go down to Vistula banks quickly.
Fabryka Schindlera - the best one, I had to put Wawel as number one, as this is the matter of tradition and commitment. Fabryka presents the place, where famous from Spielberg's movie man was trying to save Jews, and at the same time was making some business and was living like a rich man. Big piece of history with all audio and video equipment that none of the museum can exist without these days.
Tip - there is Hindus food truck almost always around. Enjoy curry.
Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego - definitely one of the most impressive museums in Krakow, there are a lot of original aircrafts from Germany (Goering), US (Vietnam War), Scotland (English Battle) and a lot more (Pope John Paul II helicopter). There are really plent of planes, helicopters, jets, engines, hangars, whataver fan of aviation can think about. There is a big airstrip next to the museum, there used to be a lot of picnics organized in this area. There are a lot of office building around - their workers can have a look at the museum and think about changing their lives :)
Tip - reserve pleny of time, at least few hours, it is big.
Muzeum im. Czartoryskich - the best one again in Kraków. Leonard da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rafael - all of them are represented there, made famous by the movie "Vinci", and club "Cień" located next door. There is a massive work over there, museum is closed from 2010 to 2017, I can't even imagine what kind of quality it will gain.
Tip - in the meantime visit "Dama z łasiczką" in Wawel Castle, it stays in peace there.
Pieskowa Skała - the "branch" of Wawel, fantastically situated in Ojcowski National Park. Few polish movies were filmed there, there is nice garden and the castle itself was recently refubrished. The restaurant in the castle reminds me old good communist times, but Maczuga Herkulesa, few hundreds metres away makes me happy again. The National Park itself is beautiful, so it is easy one day trip from Kraków.
Tip - avoid Long Weekends, and this kind of events. Problem with parking. If you climb - this is the place for you.
Muzeum Inżynierii Miejskiej - trams, buses, cars, some gas and energy installations, whatever is need to keep the city up and running. Very nice maintained in the middle of Kazimierz district. During repetitive Museums' Night this museum is usually the best prepared for the children.
Tip - there is Food Truck camp close to the museum and Stara Zajezdnia, good for football matches.
Galeria Sztuki Polskiej w Sukiennicach - if you are fan of XIXth century Polish art, this is the place for you. "Hołd Pruski", "Pochodnie Nerona", big rooms, old ladies keeping eyes on the paintings - this is our answer to Prado! For the football fans - there is balcony, from where each time Wisła football players celebrated the championship. Cracovia has to still wait for this glory. It can't be more centrally located place in Kraków then this museum, so why not to visit it ?
Tip - do not have a beer in one of the cafe next to Sukiennice - it so touristic... or wait! Have it! You are a tourist, who can ban you this pleasure?!
Muzeum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej "Manggha" - very interesting building, with the roof like the wave, on the Vistula River bank, with the great view for Wawel. A lot of art from Japanese culture, samurais' costumes, some paintings, nice audience hall, Sushi bar, tea bar, it is mainly the collection of Feliks Jasienski, which impressed Andrzej Wajda so much that he focused on building this place for few of his fruitful years.
Tip - ask your company to organize Christmas Party there. Nice location with great view.
Podziemia Rynku - again new baby in the city, rather for kids, but adults can always pretend they are some years younger then they really are. A lot of customs from medieval ages, the museum is located in the underground of the Main Market Square, but this is how city grow up, meter by meter, for the centuries.
Tip - there is online reservation system in use.
Kamienica Hipolitów - there are few museums in Kraków, describing the life in the city during old, good times, but this is the best. A lot of differents rooms, halls, corridors, floors bring you the spirit of those those years. And this is just by the Main Market Square, again having advantage of the small beer with the view for multicultural crowd.
Tip - get into those times, forget about what is outside the window... life during those days was not difficult for all.
Muzeum Uniwersytetu Jagiellonskiego Collegium Maius - you have to go there even only for seeing extremely beautiful yard inside Collegium. Imagine Copernicus sitting there some hundreds years ago on the stairs. Inside you can have a look at Andrzej's Wajda Oscar statue and for the beautiful hall when the university professors gather to make important decisions! Even though Polish education is not on the highest level, the museum itself is!
Tip - there is Professor Garden behind, have a sit there as well
Dom Jana Matejki - another center of nightlife, Floriańska street. The place where Matejko was born, not far away from his Art Science University. His house was really big, three floors, his sleeping room, living room, work room... the things he was collecting, few gifts, few paintings. This is good! Not far away from the place there is Klub Pauza (to be closed down on 1st July), symbol of night life in Kraków for some of us...
Tip - just come, allow 1 hours, you will be satisfied.
Cricoteka - Tadeusz Kantor would be very delightful, seeing this new building on the banks of Vistula River. The level of abstraction is very high, there is incredible adaption of few Kantor's art. The class of artificial children can really scare! SO, recommended for all fans of theatre and sculpture!
Tip - this part of the city is rather new for the cultural-food experience. Keep finger crossed for having it close with the quality to Main Market Square and Kazimierz. New wave!
Ulica Pomorska - it used to be old HQ of Gestapo, secret Nazis police, operating in Kraków during Second World War. There are still cells, where you can find some prisoners' drawing on the walls.You can be familiar with the history of both periods of opressions, first during the war from German occupants and the secondly, after the war, from their Russian collegues. This is not super well maintained museum, but thanks to that it really helps you understand what this place purpose was
Tip - as usual in almost every museum in Kraków, there is one day of free entrance.
Muzeum Stanisława Wyspiańskiego (Kamienica Szołayskich) - Plac Szczepański, hosting a lot of nice portrers of this great polish artist. Museum is very modern, equipped like this new wave of museums. If you have bad luck, you can not see any of Wyspiański's arts, but you will see some nice Wisława Szymborska's stuff.
Tip - this is one of the least used nice open markets (plaza) of Kraków, appreciate it from the window
Gmach Główny - plenty to see, they should think about cleaning the building itself soon. It is dirty! Famous for the infamous underground car parking. Few steps from Błonia, a lot of grass and fit young girls in the summer, if you get borded by the art.
Tip - reserve more hours, it is big.
Muzeum Etnograficzne - this is the building you can see on Plac Wolnica in Krakow. It used to be old town hall for Kazimierz district. It consists of 3 floors, the first one is really interesting, few rooms adopted for countryside house, for mountain hut, for the school rooms and few more. On the second floor you have the exhibition of all possible aspects of life that used to be in Galicja about 1 hundred years ago. And the third floor is temporary exhibition of the paintings and sculptures from modern times. It is nice place.
Tip - there used to be a fair next to the building every few weeks. It is usually food court, so come hungry.
Stara Synagoga - pretty big building on Kazimierz, Szeroka street. One of the oldest synagogue in Krakow, with the exhibition about Jewish traditions, Jewish families, Jewish getto and some Jewish customs... must go for any Jewish trip to Poland, especially during Jewish Festival in June.
Tip - once or twice a year there is Night of the Museums, you can visit it then. Entrance is free and additional attractions are to be available.
Dom Józefa Mehoffera - pretty nice, the most imporant thing is that Stanisław Wyspiański was born here. You can see how rich people were living in Kraków in XIXth/XXth century.
Tip - take a rest in nice garden.
Muzeum Armii Krajowej - this is now very popular topic, we are all crazy about underground army, fighting against first Fascism, then Communism. Museum is pretty new, so there are some multimedia already incorporated into the exhibition. There used to be army area, so hava a look at the barracks around. If you like tanks and war-jets, enjoy, there are some reconstructions or even original models! Rather ok!
Tip - again, very close to Railway Station, so you can just jump for an hour or 2. Free entrance on Sunday.
Muzeum Archeologiczne - there are some archeological items from Malopolska, but as usual the kids will be the most interested in Egyptian pharaons - and they will not be disappointed. Pretty big collections of sarcophags, Ozyr, Ibis, etc. There is beautiful garden with the view for the Wawel, from time to time rented for wedding ceremonies. There used to be prison as well during XVIIIth century, so there is similar history behind it like in Pomorska Street.
Tip - there is one more museum next door, be careful, do not confuse
Barbakan - interesting from outside and rather characteristic in the area, this days is famous from different people gathering around and offering different kind of services (drugs, sex and rock and roll). Inside there is not much to sightsee, as it was rather outpost, the place of defense, so noone was keeping valuables there.
Tip - if you are just passing by Kraków by train, allow 20 minutes to get there from railways station (instead of shopping in Galeria Krakowska).
Muzeum Sztuki Wspolczesnej MOCAK - one of the newest museum in Krakow, especially interesting exhibition presenting cell from Guantanamo or the cart of the homeless person, personally for me "too gender" or "too liberal", so sometimes it is difficult to take your kid there.. as the content can be rather unappropriate. It is rather the voice of the society or appeal to the society, rather then just presenting the classical art you can find in Gmach Glowny or Czartoryskich's Museum. The museum is located in Fabryka Schindlera, so you have 2 world class museums in one place.
Tip - there is as well free day, to check on Museum's site. Use your saved money in the café!
Europeum - the building is nice, the surrounding itself too, everything is so well preserved, but again I can't give you anything more about it. Some Italian and French art from the reneissance, but rather it is a third league. Some sculpture, etc...
Tip - no tip this time.
Muzeum im. Emeryka Hutten-Czapskiego - rather not too much too remember, the building itself is nice, hmm.. a lot of maps, some coins, books. Nice, but quickly disappears from your head...My good friend is living next to the museum, have cafe with his mother ;)
Tip - for coins fans.
Pałac Krzysztofory - again, the good advantage is the location, just in the Main Market Square. During and after Christmas time there is usually exhibition of "Szopki Krakowskie", you can also see some model of old Kraków and Kazimierz district.
Tip - there is Hawelka restaurant downstairs, why not to have breakfast there?
Apteka pod Orłem - the smallest from mentioned museums. The place where Jews and rest of the world were contacting and helping each other during dark times of Nazism in Krakow. Some Jews were hiding there, there was a meeting place for famous Jewish citizens.
Tip - connect it with Schindler's Factory Tour. The same subject. Have a look at Plac Bohaterow Getta. Those chairs over there can impress, hmm?
Ogród Doświadczeń Stanisława Lema - it is a nice playground not only for children, but to all who didn't listen carefully during physics lessons at school. In the pretty big area you have a lot of grass, trees, but amongst all you have a lot of station where you can make some experiences. You have Planck resonance, Newton's cradle, Solar system model and over 60 other places to have a look at. Simply allow yourself few hours and prepare for school times reminder.
Tip - there is Krakow Tauron Arena and nice Park Lotnikow next to this place. So, enjoy the day.
Pałac Biskupa Erazma Ciołka - this is not a must go place. Few interesting exhibitions about Polish paintings before XVIIIth century, few old icons. The most interesting is again location - one of the beautiful street in Kraków, Kanonicza, with the great view for the Wawel.
Tip - there is one nice Italian restaurant in one of the yards of the neighbours, opposite Instituto de Cervantes.
Muzeum Historii PRL-u - it has the great potential, but it is a little bit disappointing. The communism era ended not so far ago, so you have basically a lot to show, a lot of borrow or buy from the people, who live so close to the museum. There is an underground place, where people could hide during some air raids or something like that, there is some exhibition about "customs" from that time, but you should expect more from this place.
Tip - again, If you are there, try to have some walk around the place... it is a model city of the communism!
Muzeum Ogrodu Botanicznego - well, this is only the place when you get by accident when visiting Botanical Garden. There is no point to get there only for the museum. What can I say, yes, thera are some items, some info about the plants, but it seems to be interesting only for local students, who come there every day with passion and glory (I assume). Focus on Botanical Garden itself instead.
Tip - of course late spring is the time to go
Muzeum Historii Fotografii - well, the only reason to go there is one shop with sweets, paczki, opposite the museum. There is really nothing to see, few pictures, really for the fans of photography, there are some stories from greek philosophy, but how they are connected with the exhibition - no one really knows.
Tip - there is Pomorska Street Museum 100 m from there. Combine the visits if you have to.
Dom Zwierzyniecki - I am not sure what this museum really represents by itself... this is the place where you can get some info about Błonia, the big grass in the middle of Kraków. But the most interesting story about this building is that Lenin used to live here, but they try not to mention this fact too much. It is rather interesting place for the Zwierzyniec community then for someone from outside.
Tip - take a car this time, there is plenty space for parking.
Dworek Matejki w Krzesławicach - unfortunately it is very difficult to get inside. From outside - it definitely doesn't look impressive, so I would suggest avoid going there at all. But in Internet it looks pretty nice inside!
Tip - looks like no one is living there and no one is protecting it, so I don't expect anything valuable inside (but I can be wrong).