Plan your visit
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About the Museum
Extraordinary Stories Of Ordinary Things
Warsaw is a truly unique city. And so is the Museum of Warsaw. Their stories are strikingly similar – razed to the ground during WW2 and rebuilt from the rubble.
The Museum of Warsaw collects the things of Warsaw, researches them and makes them available to the public. The new core exhibition refers to the histories of particular objects in order to tell about historical events and people who had made an impact on the shape and character of contemporary Warsaw.
You can get acquainted with the stories of the things of Warsaw not only in the new core exhibition at Old Town Market Square, but also at each of the nine locations of the Museum of Warsaw which create their programmes independently. They offer not merely permanent exhibitions, but also a whole gamut of various events: workshops, meetings, lectures, tours, family activities, concerts and more.
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Core exhibition
Our collection comprises over 300 000 items and we have chosen to put exactly 7352 of them on display in the core exhibition. These are all original objects: daily use and special occasion items, artworks and utility items, keepsakes of people and events. We present them in 21 themed rooms.
As you walk through the rooms, we recommend you look for our highlighted objects and for their more precise descriptions shown on grey boards. Getting acquainted with various biographies of particular objects is key to understanding Warsaw’s complex history. They are compiled in “The Things of Warsaw”, a limited-edition volume available at the Museum bookstore.
We do not tell one story, as textbooks often do. Instead, we offer you the stories of things and their creators, owners or users.
To whom does Warsaw owe its development? Who are its inhabitants? How did they use to live? How do they live today? Where is the city centre, and where are the city limits? Warsaw data is a compendium of knowledge that will help you grasp Warsaw’s character.
We paid special attention to the visual aspect – charts, maps and iconography were designed to make finding one’s way within the vast collection easier. This part of the exhibition involves both reading and looking at.
Warsaw Data verifies stereotypes and popular opinions on the city, its inhabitants and space. It points to the events and phenomena that have made Warsaw what it is today.
History of the Old Town Houses
The history of the changes to the structure of the Dekert’s Side and the architectural elements of specific houses provide a perspective from which to explore the events and figures related to this place. They are presented in the section of the exhibition devoted to them and in the notes distributed throughout the Museum houses, which you can discover during your visit.
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Temporary exhibitions
22 JULY – 30 DECEMBER 2023
Painting Works Cooperative
Paulina Włostowska’s mural is a contemporary interpretation of the process of rebuilding the Old and New Town, particularly its final phase, i.e. the creation of large-format decorations on the walls of the reconstructed tenements.
Paulina Włostowska’s paiting work draws directly from the methods developed by the women’s cerative teams. The artist combines visual quotations into a coherent whole, introduces elements of urban ornamentation or decorative motifs taken from archives and photographic documentation. Włostowska includes the profiles of the story’s protagonists – the women painters and artists – into the work itself. She revises their activities, restoring their visibility and presence.
28 SEPTEMBER 2023 – 28 APRIL 2028
This Is Not My History
The exhibition addresses the dark side of childhood, the injustice experienced by children, and the defence strategies they employ to survive.
Drawing also on their personal traumas, the artists talk about growing up in poverty and disregard for the kids’ feelings, sexual violence, fear and about seeking emotional support in the world of fantasy. They take inspiration from children’s aesthetics – creatively transforming toys, furniture, domestic hideouts. They demonstrate that childhood – seemingly joyful and carefree – is in fact not devoid of violence, humiliation or neglect.
A thematic path through the main exhibition of the Museum of Warsaw.
12 OTOBER 2023 – 4 FEBRUARY 2024
Moi Ver
The exhibition devoted to the life and work of Moshe Vorobeichic—a photographer, graphic artist and painter who belonged to the forefront of the 1920s European avant-garde—has arrived in Warsaw straight from Centre Pompidou in Paris. In the Moi Ver exhibition, we present a total of 300 photographs, posters, publications, design projects of books, paintings and documents.
Moi Ver exhibition is organised by Centre Pompidou in cooperation with the Museum of Warsaw and Art Museum in Tel Aviv. The exhibition was open for viewing at Centre Pompidou from 20 April until 29 August 2023.
Tour the Museum with a guide!
Maximum number of participants: 15
Dates: Tuesday to Sunday
Price: 300 PLN (English) + entrance tickets
Booking: edukacja@muzeumwarszawy.pl, tel: +48 665 645 603
Please include the following information in your email: preferred date of the tour, preferred hour, theme, personal data (name, surname, telephone number, email address). -
How to find us
Museum of Warsaw
Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42
The main entrance is located at the tenement house no 42.
00-272 Warsaw
Contact: +48 22 277 44 02
We care about your comfort as well as natural environment – thus, we advise you to use public transport.
All the timetables are available at www.ztm.waw.pl and Google Maps.
Find out about the Warsaw Public Bike rental system www.veturilo.waw.pl/en
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Opening hours
Permanent exhibition:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9.00-17.00
Thursday 9.00-19.00
Saturday, Sunday 11.00-18.00Temporary exhibition:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 11:00-19:00
Thursday 11:00-20:00
Sunday 11:00-18:00The last entrance to the exhibition is one hour before closing.
The permanent exhibition is large. Visiting time can range from a few tens of minutes to several hours.
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Tickets
Single ticket for both core and temporary exhibition:
regular 35 PLN/concession 25 PLNSingle ticket for the core exhibition (The ticket covers also a visit to the Praga Museum of Warsaw within 7 days.):
regular 25 PLN/concession 18 PLNSingle ticket for the temporary exhibition:
regular 20 PLN/concession 15 PLNGroup ticket (more than 10 people):
The ticket covers also one more visit within 30 days.
regular 18 PLN/concession 12 PLN per personFamily ticket (max. 2 adults + 1-6 children):
70 PLN for both core and temporary exhibition
50 PLN for the core exhibition
40 PLN for the temporary exhibitionAn annual card (valid 365 days from the day of purchase) offers access to all permanent and temporary exhibitions held at all currently operational locations of The Museum of Warsaw.
regular 150 PLN/concession 110 PLN
WARSAW PASS: free entrance and priority entry.
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Accessibility
Information for visually-impaired visitors
At the ticket desk you can borrow free typhlographic plans of the museum. Each floor is presented on a separate plate with a description in an enlarged font and Braille alphabet.
At the ticket desk you can also borrow free audio guides with audio descriptions of selected things.
In themed rooms of the exhibition you can find publications available in an enlarged font and Braille alphabet with typhlographics of chosen things. They contain general information about every room and texts about chosen things. These publications are also available at the reading room.
The reading room of the museum offers a dedicated reader for visually-impaired visitors.
We invite you to visit the museum with your assistance dog or a guide dog.
In some places of the exhibitions you can find educational boxes. They contain items referring to our exhibition which are used during educational workshops for visually-impaired people.
Information for audibly-impaired visitors
At the ticket desk you can find dedicated tablets – the application provides a themed tour with videos (in Polish Sign Language only) about every room.
Information for motion-impaired visitors
The entrance at 8 Nowomiejska Street is accessible for people using wheelchairs.
For people using wheelchairs the floors -1, 0, +1 and +2 are available for a visit.
Accessible toilets are marked and available at the 0 and +1 floors.
The staff can also offer wheelchair in a suitable size.
Information for intellectually-impaired visitors and visitors with autism spectrum disorder
We prepared two brochures in a font which is easy to read. The first one – The Things of Warsaw and Their Museum. A Short Guide. The Main Exhibition – describes the main seat of the Museum of Warsaw. The second one – The Museum of Warsaw x10. Find Us – presents information about all the branches of the Museum.
For visitors with autism spectrum disorder we prepared a before-the-visit guide. You can find it and download from the museum’s website.
Quiet hours at the Museum of Warsaw
Quiet hours are addressed to people on the autism spectrum, highly sensitive to external stimuli, and to anyone who prefers to tour exhibitions in peace and quiet. At that time, we turn off the sounds and reduce the level of light in the exhibition area.
Tuesdays 3PM-5PM.
Core exhibition at the Museum of Warsaw is friendly to all those who are highly sensitive to stimuli—there are no bright lights or loud noises in the exhibition area.
Info for the families with children in pushchairs
The Museum of Warsaw main seat is a historic building—a labyrinth of small rooms often accessible by stairs, thresholds or steps.
The convenient entrance, accessible for wheelchairs, is located on Nowomiejska Street.
A map with all the obstacles and facilities is available at the ticket office. Take it with you and choose a route that is convenient for you. We also have a lift; it will take you up to the 2nd floor. To reach the top storeys, one must take the stairs.
You can leave the pushchair in the cloakroom and visit the Museum holding your baby in a carrier or sling.
The feeding corner and the changing table are located on level -1.
Parking spaces for disabled people
1 Zapiecek Street (one space)
8 Kanonia Street (two spaces)
3 Podwale Street (three spaces)
11 Podwale Street (three spaces) -
Pet-friendly Museum
You can visit the museum with a small accompanying dog on a leash.
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More than a Museum
Bookstore
Our bookstore features excellent gift ideas – museum publications, albums, yearbooks, exhibition and collection catalogues, reproductions of drawings, maps and plans of Warsaw, educational books for the little ones, as well as Varsaviana souvenirs.
Syrena Cinema
Screenings of the film “Warsaw Will Not Forget” are organised on demand during museum’s opening hours. If you want to watch the film, please notify us in advance by phone +48 665 645 603 or by e-mail: edukacja@muzeumwarszawy.pl.
On Thursdays (16:00) and Saturdays (13:00) we invite you to screenings of the “Warsaw Will Not Forget”.
Reading Room
The library collection may be used exclusively on site. You can find here mostly Polish and foreign publications dedicated to Warsaw, i.e. albums, city guides, Varsaviana periodicals, as well as books about Warsaw for children and youth.
Lapidarium
Take a break at the Museum of Warsaw courtyard and play one of the world’s oldest board games, Nine Men’s Morris.
You can also park your bike here!
Observation point
Here you can view the Old Town Market Square and the roofs of Old and New Towns. At the background, silhouette of the National Stadium is looming.
Rynek 30 Gallery is a venue for young artists.
The gallery was created in a lounge of one of the tenement houses in the Old Town Square.
This new venue displays work by young artists and curators who address topics that are relevant and important from the point of view of residents of Warsaw. It is also a place of cooperation with NGOs, research and educational institutions.