Muzeum Początków Państwa Polskiego w Gnieźnie

About the museum

The origins of the museum are linked to archaeological research carried out in Gniezno from the end of the 1940s. In 1956 a branch of the Archaeological Museum in Poznań was set up here, presenting the results of the excavations, and in 1973 an independent Museum in Gniezno was created on its basis. The new seat was built in 1973–1978 as part of a complex connected with the millennium celebrations of the Polish state.

The building, in the postmodernist style, was designed specially for the museum; the interiors were finished in marble, and Magdalena Abakanowicz designed a special art installation for the museum. In 1983 the first main exhibition, “Początki Państwa Polskiego” (The Beginnings of the Polish State), was opened and the institution was given its present name.

Today the museum presents not only the early Middle Ages but also the history of Gniezno itself and its surroundings. Among its most valuable collections are the Romanesque ceramic tiles and the later stove tiles, one of the largest such collections in Europe. The museum is an important stop on the Piast Route and runs an extensive educational offer for schools and families.

Highlights

• Main exhibition “Początki państwa polskiego” (The Beginnings of the Polish State), 10th–13th centuries
• Collection of Romanesque ceramic tiles and Gniezno stove tiles
• Exhibition “Piastów malowane dzieje” (The Painted History of the Piasts) with 19th-century paintings
• Exhibition “Sztuka romańska w Polsce” (Romanesque Art in Poland)
• Family route with the board game “Rex ambulans”

Permanent exhibitions

• Początki państwa polskiego – The main exhibition presents monuments from all over Poland connected with the beginnings of statehood, from the 10th to the 13th century.
• Piastów malowane dzieje – The exhibition shows 19th-century paintings depicting the beginnings of the Polish state and the Piast dynasty.
• Ceramika gnieźnieńska – The exhibition presents several hundred Romanesque ceramic tiles and later stove tiles from Gniezno and its surroundings.

Founded

1956

Director

Michał Bogacki

Admission & discounts

Free admission: every Sunday (free museum visit)

Free admission also applies, among others, to museum staff, guides and tour leaders, carers of organised groups, veterans and war veterans, journalists, holders of the Karta Polaka (Polish Card), and members of ICOM and ICOMOS. Discounts: the Nationwide Large Family Card (Ogólnopolska Karta Dużej Rodziny) and the Gniezno Large Family Card (Gnieźnieńska Karta Dużej Rodziny) give 10% off; the Greater Poland Large Family Card (Wielkopolska Karta Dużej Rodziny) and the Gniezno Senior Card (Gnieźnieńska Karta Seniora) give PLN 1 per person (discounts do not add up). Tickets are bought at the museum shop; an invoice can be issued.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: not available

The main entrance with automatic doors has no steps or thresholds higher than 2 cm, and wheelchair users have access to the whole exhibition (the route differs slightly because of the lift). The toilet is adapted for people with mobility impairments. The exhibition and the films have subtitles, the rooms have Braille descriptions, but the films have no audio description. Assistance dogs are welcome. There is a free car park with spaces for people with disabilities by the museum.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The Family Route is a game in which you become a museum detective: a map with six stations, curiosities and a quiz (prizes in the shop), and the board game “Rex ambulans”. The museum also runs lessons and workshops for children.

Getting there & parking

The museum lies by national road DK15; access from the S5 expressway via the Gniezno-Południe junction. In front of the entrance there is a station of the Gniezno City Bike system.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check

The museum shop is also the ticket office; the museum has a cloakroom for visitors.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit