Muzeum Historii Polski
State museum on the Warsaw Citadel with a modern building, a viewing terrace and a cinema. The permanent exhibition is under construction.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Muzeum Historii Polski (Museum of the History of Poland) was established on 2 May 2006 by the minister of culture. Its task is to tell the story of the thousand-year history of Poland and its people against the background of Europe. For years the institution operated without its own seat, gathering collections, conducting research and preparing exhibitions and educational programmes.
The museum’s seat is a new building on the grounds of the Warsaw Citadel, in the southern part of Żoliborz. The design by the WXCA studio was presented in 2016, and construction lasted from 2018 to 2023. The building has four floors above ground and two below. Its façades are decorated with reliefs referring to Polish architecture, from the Gniezno Doors to twentieth-century modernism. The building also contains a library, an auditorium, a cinema, workshop rooms, a viewing terrace on the roof and an educational park with an amphitheatre.
The building opened to visitors in autumn 2023, and the first exhibition was a presentation of the collections titled “Wielkie i małe historie” (Great and Small Histories). The collection numbers nearly 60 thousand objects. The permanent exhibition, which is to present a thousand years of Polish history, is under construction, and its opening has been announced for 2027. Until then visitors can see temporary exhibitions, use the viewing terrace and the park of the citadel, and attend screenings at the Kino Cytadela (Citadel Cinema).
Highlights
- Modern building with façades decorated with motifs of Polish architecture
- Viewing terrace on the roof with a panorama of Warsaw and the Vistula
- Kino Cytadela and cultural events
- Educational park with an amphitheatre on the grounds of the Citadel
- Permanent exhibition on a thousand years of Polish history (opening in 2027)
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Muzeum Historii Polski (państwowa instytucja kultury, organizator: Minister Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego)
- Director
- Marcin Napiórkowski
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 20 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 10 złpupils, students, teachers, seniors from age 65, pensioners and disability pensioners, people with disabilities with carers |
| Children & teens | 10 złfree up to age 6 · Children up to age 7 enter free. With the Karta Dużej Rodziny, children and young people up to age 25 pay PLN 1. |
| Seniors | 10 złFrom age 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 10 złConcession ticket for a person with a disability and their carer. |
| Students & apprentices | 10 zł |
| Groups (10+ people) | 15 zł per personPrice per person for organised groups. |
| Families | 30 złOne or two adults with children, up to 6 people in total. |
Free admission: Admission is free every Friday and on selected public holidays (2 and 3 May, 15 August, 11 November). Free tickets are issued only by the museum’s ticket office.
The prices apply to the ticket for the current temporary exhibition; after the permanent exhibition opens, the price list may change. The Karta Dużej Rodziny gives a concession ticket for adults. The Karta Warszawiaka gives a 20% discount on tickets (at the ticket office only). The viewing terrace is free during the museum’s opening hours. Payment at the ticket office is possible in cash, by card or by BLIK.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
The building is adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. The most convenient entrance for people with mobility difficulties is through the Brama Żoliborska (ul. Dymińska 13). Audio descriptions of tactile graphics and tactile objects are available free of charge in audio guides issued at the ticket office. The viewing terrace is currently not accessible to people with mobility difficulties. Only guide dogs and assistance dogs may enter the museum. Accessibility coordinator: tel. +48 22 255 76 40.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 30 zł · One or two adults with children, up to 6 people in total. |
- Family tours & workshops
The museum has a family ticket for PLN 30 and educational offers for families, schools and kindergartens.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Warszawa Gdańska
Metro M1 to the Dworzec Gdański station (stop Warszawa Gdańska, also buses and trams); stops Most Gdański and Park Traugutta (buses, trams); stop Cytadela (buses).
By car
Paid parking
Underground car park, PLN 6 per hour. Entry only from the Wybrzeże Gdyńskie side (lane towards the centre, before the junction with ul. Krasińskiego). Coaches park on the surface.
Pedestrian entrances to the Citadel grounds: Brama Żoliborska (ul. Dymińska 13, 6:00–22:00), Brama Wiślana (6:00–22:00), Brama Nowomiejska (6:00–20:00), Brama Bielańska and Brama Straceń (5:00–18:00).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The building houses a museum shop. Purchases are also possible in the museum’s online shop.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The building has an auditorium, a cinema, conference rooms and workshop rooms.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours with a licensed guide are possible. Information and bookings are handled by the visitor services department (tel. +48 22 255 76 27, Monday–Friday 9:00–17:00). The visitor regulations apply; photographing minors requires the consent of a guardian. |
