Muzeum Nowej Huty

About the museum

The Muzeum Nowej Huty is housed in the historic building of the former Światowid cinema at the Centrum E estate in Nowa Huta. The City of Kraków bought the building in 2006 for cultural activities. From 2008 to 2013 it housed the Muzeum PRL-u as a branch of the Muzeum Historii Polski, and from 2013 until the end of February 2019 the Muzeum PRL-u (in organisation), co-run by the City of Kraków and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

The present institution has operated since 1 March 2019 as a branch of the Muzeum Krakowa. It was created by merging the existing branch Dzieje Nowej Huty (History of Nowa Huta), which had operated since 2005 at the Słoneczny estate 16, with the Muzeum PRL-u. It combines the idea of a local museum devoted to Nowa Huta with the story of the experience of the Cold War and of socialism. Temporary exhibitions were shown in the former cinema hall, and the exhibition “Atomowa groza. Schrony w Nowej Hucie” (Atomic Horror. Bunkers in Nowa Huta) was held in the basement of the building, together with an air-raid shelter.

The museum also runs the project Podziemna Nowa Huta (Underground Nowa Huta), within which bunkers were opened at the Szkolny estate 37 (the exhibition “Stan zagrożenia” (State of Threat), opened in 2019) and at the Szkolny estate 22. It is also the main organiser of the annual campaign “Zajrzyj do Huty” (Look into the Huta). In 2024 the museum received EU funding for the modernisation and extension of the Światowid building; the investment is planned for 2024–2028 and is to almost triple the usable area and create a new permanent exhibition.

Highlights

• Former Światowid cinema as the museum’s seat
• Underground Nowa Huta – bunkers open at the Szkolny estate
• Annual campaign “Zajrzyj do Huty” (Look into the Huta)
• Educational walks around Nowa Huta
• Planned new permanent exhibition after the renovation

Permanent exhibition

• Podziemna Nowa Huta – schrony na os. Szkolnym 37 i 22 – Air-raid shelters open to visitors, with the exhibitions “Stan zagrożenia” (State of Threat) and “Schrony w Nowej Hucie – dziedzictwo zimnej wojny” (Bunkers in Nowa Huta – the legacy of the Cold War).

Founded

2019

Operated by

Muzeum Krakowa (miejska instytucja kultury)

Admission & discounts

The museum building is closed for renovation; the planned completion of the investment is 2028.

Accessibility

The museum building is closed for renovation; the planned completion of the investment is 2028.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum runs lessons and educational walks for kindergartens and schools (e.g. “ABC Nowej Huty” and “Opowieści z Nowej Huty” (Tales of Nowa Huta) for classes I–III), and activities for parents with children.

Getting there & parking

The museum building is closed for renovation; the planned completion of the investment is 2028.

Amenities & dining

The museum building is closed for renovation; the planned completion of the investment is 2028.

Events & venue rental

The museum building is closed for renovation; the planned completion of the investment is 2028.

Plan your visit