Archaeological Museum in Kraków

The Archaeological Museum in Kraków is the oldest institution of its kind in Poland, founded in 1850. It is located on Senacka Street, right by the Planty, in the building of a former Carmelite monastery, and keeps collections from prehistory to the Middle Ages with particular emphasis on Lesser Poland.

History of the museum

The museum was founded on 18 February 1850 as the Museum of Antiquities. It began in the Jagiellonian Library, then moved to Sławkowska 17, and has been in its present seat since 1967. The collections today number in the hundreds of thousands of archaeological objects.

The building after the monastery

The building stands on the site of a former Carmelite monastery from the 17th and 18th centuries. After the third partition the Austrians dissolved the monastery by imperial decree, and the building then served as a court and prison. After 1956 it became a cultural institution.

What to see in the collections

The greatest fame belongs to the statue of the Zbruch Idol (Światowid). The collections cover the archaeology of Poland and the world: among them you will find Egyptian artefacts and Peruvian pottery. The permanent exhibitions in the main building are "Prehistory and the Middle Ages of Lesser Poland" and "The Undercroft of the Archaeological Museum". Temporary exhibitions are also shown, on the gods of Egypt, on pottery and on the history of Kraków's Market Square.

The museum has three locations: the main building, a branch in Nowa Huta-Branice and the Church of St Adalbert. Visitors can also view exhibits in the COME-IN app.

Visiting and modernisation

According to Wikipedia some exhibitions are closed during modernisation, so before your visit check on the museum's website which displays are available. We do not give opening hours because the main page does not list them; the current schedule and ticket sales can be found on the official booking service.

Nearby

The museum lies in the very heart of the Old Town, so nearly all the biggest monuments are within walking distance. About 200 metres away stands the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, also about 200 metres away the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, and it is about 400 metres to Wawel Royal Castle. In the opposite direction you will reach the Main Market Square.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Senacka 3, 31-002 Kraków, Stare Miasto.
• Contact: mak@ma.krakow.pl, telephone 12 422 71 00.
• The site is marked as not accessible to wheelchair users; confirm accessibility on the spot or with the museum.
• The museum is a good choice for a rainy day and for visiting alone.