Narodowe Muzeum Techniki w Warszawie

About the museum

The Narodowe Muzeum Techniki w Warszawie was established in 2017 under an agreement between the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the City of Warsaw. The institution draws on the traditions of the Muzeum Przemysłu i Rolnictwa (Museum of Industry and Agriculture), opened in Warsaw in 1875, and the Muzeum Techniki i Przemysłu (Museum of Technology and Industry) of 1929. After the war, the Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna (Chief Technical Organisation) opened the Muzeum Techniki in the “G” wing of the Palace of Culture and Science in 1955; it operated there until 2017, when the collections were transferred to the new museum.

Operations officially resumed on 28 January 2022 with the opening of two permanent exhibitions: “Historia transportu – morzem, lądem i powietrzem” (History of Transport – by Sea, Land and Air) and “Historia komputerów – liczy się!” (History of Computers – It Counts!). The museum has more than 15,000 exhibits from astronomy and physics, mining and metallurgy, computing, radio engineering, transport and energy. Among them are the Enigma cipher machine, a Lilienthal glider from 1894, the computers of engineer Jacek Karpiński (AKAT and K-202) and a collection of Polish motorcycles. The motor vehicle collection includes about a hundred cars and more than eighty historic motorcycles, including the car of Marshal Piłsudski.

Alongside the exhibitions in the main building, the museum runs a branch at the Zabytkowa Huta Żelaza (Historic Ironworks) in Chlewiska, where a large part of the vehicles can be seen. The museum, housed in the Palace of Culture and Science, also has a planetarium, a library, an archive and an educational programme.

Highlights

• Main exhibition “Wkład Polaków w światowe dziedzictwo techniczne i naukowe” (The Contribution of Poles to the World’s Technical and Scientific Heritage)
• “Historia komputerów – liczy się!” with the computers of Jacek Karpiński
• Enigma cipher machine and Lilienthal glider from 1894
• Motor vehicle collection: historic motorcycles and cars
• Planetarium and exhibition on the history of space research
• Branch in Chlewiska with the Zabytkowa Huta Żelaza (Historic Ironworks)

Permanent exhibitions

• Wkład Polaków w światowe dziedzictwo techniczne i naukowe – The main exhibition shows, in chronological order, the development of technology and the most important engineering and scientific achievements of Poles from the 17th to the 20th century.
• Historia komputerów – liczy się! – An exhibition on the development of machine data processing, from simple calculating devices to modern digital solutions.
• Przyroda największym wynalazcą – The exhibition combines natural and technical exhibits and shows how nature inspires inventions.

Founded

1950

Operated by

Narodowe Muzeum Techniki w Warszawie (instytucja współprowadzona przez MKiDN, MNiSW i Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On Tuesdays admission to the permanent exhibitions is free; the entry ticket must be collected at the ticket office.

The museum honours the Warsaw Pass and the Large Family Card (Karta Dużej Rodziny).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum has portable ramps for wheelchairs, an external lift that bypasses the entrance steps, and an internal lift that can take up to four wheelchairs at once; the need for transport by lift or by stair-climbing platform is reported at the ticket offices. Toilets are located only on the ground floor, including specially adapted ones. There are tactile floor markings and a tactile plan of the exhibitions, and the multimedia content has a version for partially sighted visitors.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family tickets are available for families in three variants, and the museum runs museum lessons and educational activities. Children up to the age of 7 enter free of charge.

Getting there & parking

The museum is housed in the Palace of Culture and Science at Plac Defilad 1.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Free self-service cloakroom with lockers; the key is collected at the ticket offices. The museum shop is located on the grounds.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit