Muzeum Kultur Świata
Branch of the National Museum in a classicist building that once housed a Masonic lodge, with an ethnographic collection from Poland and the world.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Muzeum Kultur Świata (Museum of World Cultures), until 2025 the Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum), is located close to the Old Market (Stary Rynek), in a decorated building from 1817–1819 that was the seat of a Masonic lodge and is an example of late classicism. The building is entered through a park with old trees, a fountain and a space for concerts, shows and workshops.
The origins of the collections are linked to the Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze (Folklore Society), founded in Poznań in 1910. Helena Cichowicz and her daughter Wiesława collected objects of folk culture, and the first ethnographic exhibition opened on 28 December 1911. In 1920 the collections were handed over to the Muzeum Wielkopolskie (Museum of Greater Poland), where a Folklore Department (Dział Ludoznawczy) was set up; in the interwar period it was enriched with collections from Africa and New Guinea.
During the Second World War the collections were almost completely destroyed and dispersed. After 1945 they were rebuilt, and in 1962 the department was turned into a branch and moved to the former Masonic lodge. After a major renovation, completed in 1986, the museum has operated there ever since. The name Muzeum Etnograficzne was adopted in 1974, and in 2025 it was changed to Muzeum Kultur Świata. The museum presents its collections in its own temporary exhibitions and in other institutions in Poland and abroad.
Highlights
- Ethnographic collections from Poland, Greater Poland and distant regions of the world
- Collections from Africa and New Guinea
- Classicist building of the former Masonic lodge
- Park with a fountain next to the museum
- Lectures and themed events
- Founded
- 1911
- Operated by
- Muzeum Narodowe w Poznaniu
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 20 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 13 złDetails of the right to reduced and free admission are described in a document on the museum’s website. |
| Children & teens | 1 złChildren and young people aged 8 to 26 pay PLN 1. |
| Students & apprentices | 1 złPLN 1 ticket for people aged 8 to 26. |
Free admission: Free admission on Tuesdays.
The museum accepts the Karta Dużej Rodziny (Large Family Card) and the Poznańska Karta Turystyczna (Poznań Tourist Card).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The building has a lift (with buttons marked in Braille and voice announcements) and a permanent ramp; the threshold at the door is about 4 cm high. An alternative entrance is from ul. Grobla 25, where you call a staff member via the intercom. The toilet for people with disabilities is on the ground floor, and an induction loop operates at the ticket desk (on the first floor there is a permanent loop in the lecture room). Assistance dogs are allowed in the building.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Before the visit you can download a pre-visit guide for people with special needs. |
