Muzeum Gazowni Warszawskiej

About the museum

The museum is located on the site of the former Gazownia Miejska in Warsaw’s Wola district. The works were built in 1888 as the capital’s second gasworks and were linked by a gas pipeline more than 5 kilometres long to the plant on ul. Ludna. It developed rapidly, and at the beginning of the twentieth century it was one of the first plants in the world to use modern vertical retort gas ovens. Just before the First World War, the two Warsaw gasworks together produced almost 300 thousand cubic metres of gas a day.

In the 1960s natural gas began to reach the city; it was more efficient and cleaner than coal gas. In 1970 the gasworks stopped producing gas from coal, and the whole of Warsaw was switched to the new fuel, which required the mass replacement of appliances in homes. The gas museum was set up on the site of the former plant in 1977.

The museum, now called Muzeum Gazowni Warszawskiej, is run by the Fundacja ORLEN im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza. Visitors learn about the history of gas and energy and see the historic gasworks site; the permanent exhibition has been fully translated into English. The museum also organises temporary exhibitions, workshops and educational sessions, and each month it presents a selected “exhibit of the month”.

Highlights

• Historic 1888 gasworks in Wola
• Exhibition on the history of gas and energy (fully in Polish and English)
• The “exhibit of the month”, presented every month
• Guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays
• Educational workshops for kindergartens and schools

Permanent exhibition

• Wystawa stała Muzeum Gazowni Warszawskiej – Exhibition on the history of the gas industry and energy in the historic buildings of the former gasworks, fully translated into English.

Founded

1977

Operated by

Fundacja ORLEN im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza

Director

Justyna Hara

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Admission is free every Friday (self-guided visit).

Tickets without a guide are only sold at the ticket office, tickets with a guide only online. The ticket office accepts cash and cards. Other dates for group guided tours can be requested by e-mail at least five working days in advance.

Accessibility

• Partially 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

A concrete ramp without steps leads to the main entrance; the threshold is 4 cm high. The building has a lift 90 cm wide and two toilets for people with disabilities. In parts of the exhibition the passages are narrow, in places less than 60 cm wide, and there are protruding elements, which may make it harder to move around in a wheelchair. Entry with a guide dog or assistance dog is permitted. The museum offers activities for people with special needs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly
• Kids’ birthday parties

The exhibition is designed for visitors of all ages; prams may be brought in, and the building has toilets for parents with small children. The museum runs workshops for children and schools, as well as birthday parties at the museum.

Getting there & parking

The main entrance is from ul. Krzyżanowskiego 7.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

The museum has a self-service cloakroom with lockers and a souvenir shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum rents out spaces for events; contact: wydarzenia.mgw@orlen.pl, +48 22 106 42 78.

Plan your visit