Muzeum Tradycji Szlacheckiej w Waplewie Wielkim
Branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk in the classicist palace of the Sierakowski family in Powiśle, showing historic manor interiors and noble culture.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The palace in Waplewo Wielkie was built on the site of a former fortified seat, which over time became a small castle (zameczek) and was rebuilt many times. Its present classicist form, together with the orangery, was given to it under Alfons and Maria Sierakowski, née Sołtan, between 1842 and 1876; the upper storey added in 1888 gave the garden façade a palatial character. The surroundings also preserve farm buildings with a wagon shed (wozownia) and a smithy, a ten-hectare park and the tomb chapel of the Counts Sierakowski.
After the Second World War and the land reform, the building was used by a state breeding centre. In 2006 the National Museum in Gdańsk took it over as a branch, the Museum of Noble Tradition (Muzeum Tradycji Szlacheckiej). In 2013–2015 the palace was thoroughly renovated under conservation supervision, with floors, parquet, fireplaces, wallpaper and furnishings recreated in the style of 19th-century manor residences; the permanent exhibition opened in 2015. In 2026, after a renovation lasting several years, the Wozownia (Wagon Shed) was opened, housing the ticket office and the exhibition “A Nobleman on the Road” (Szlachcic w podróży).
The museum shows historic manor interiors, the farm and the park, while memorabilia and old photographs bring the daily life of the manors and the history of the nobility closer. The history of the artistic collection of the Sierakowski family, scattered during the Second World War, is also being reconstructed. For twenty years, concerts have been held here twice a year as part of the Pomeranian Chopin Days (Pomorskie Dni Chopinowskie), recalling Fryderyk Chopin's stay at Waplewo in 1827.
Highlights
- Classicist palace of the Sierakowski family with orangery and a ten-hectare park
- Reconstructed manor interiors, including the White Hall (Sala Biała) and the Gdańsk Hall (Sala Gdańska)
- Model of the palace with descriptions in Braille
- Farm complex with a wagon shed
- Concerts of the Pomeranian Chopin Days
Permanent exhibition
- Wnętrza dworskie pałacu Sierakowskich – The permanent exhibition, opened in 2015, presents reconstructed manor interiors, memorabilia and old photographs, and fragments of the artistic collection of the Sierakowski family.
- Founded
- 2006
- Operated by
- Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 20 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 15 złConcessions apply to, among others, pupils and students, holders of the Large Family Card (Karta Dużej Rodziny), and people with disabilities and their carers (the full list is in the concession rules of the National Museum in Gdańsk). |
| Students & apprentices | 1 złThe ticket for pupils and students aged 8–26 costs PLN 1. |
| Groups (10+ people) | 12 zł per personPrice per person for organised groups of at least 10 people. |
| Families | 12 złFamily or friends' ticket for 3–8 people; the price given applies to one person. |
| 7-day ticket for all branches of the museum (standard) | 60 złAllows one entry to each branch within seven days of purchase. |
| 7-day ticket for all branches of the museum (reduced) | 45 zł |
| Annual ticket for the bearer, valid for all branches | 150 złUnlimited admission for one year from purchase. |
| Workshop or museum lesson in Polish (up to 30 people) | 300 złPlus admission tickets. |
| Guided tour for adults in Polish or English (up to 50 people) | 300 złPlus admission tickets. |
Free admission: Free admission on Tuesdays.
Free admission is also granted to people fleeing the war and their companions (an oral declaration is enough), and among others to museum staff, members of ICOM and AICA, tourist guides and journalists (on presentation of documents).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main entrance is reached by steep stairs without a ramp, and the ground in front of the palace is covered with coarse gravel, which makes it hard to move with a wheelchair. The exhibition is on the ground floor, and only stairs lead to the top floor. There is a toilet for people with disabilities on the ground floor; the ticket office in the Wozownia has an induction loop, and a Polish Sign Language interpreter can be reached online. A model of the palace with descriptions in Braille is available; there are no tactile maps, Braille signs or audible navigation system. Entry with an assistance dog is possible without restrictions.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | 12 zł · Family or friends' ticket for 3–8 people; the price given applies to one person. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities: not available
- Playground / play area: not available
A family ticket is available (PLN 12 per person); the toilet has no baby changing table and there is no separate play area for children.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
The nearest railway station is in Sztum; from there the museum can be reached by taxi or by some regional buses. There is a bus stop near the palace and park complex, but connections are few.
By car
Free parking
There is a free car park for cars and coaches at the museum.
The museum lies in Powiśle, about 14 km from Sztum and 25 km from Malbork. By car: from Sztum about 15 minutes, from Malbork 30 minutes, from Kwidzyn 35 minutes, from Elbląg 50 minutes and from Gdańsk about 1 hour 20 minutes. There are bicycle racks on site.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The ticket office is in the Wozownia. School groups and tour groups should book the date of the tour and educational classes in advance. A visit can be combined with a walk in the park and the outbuilding (oficyna) of the former estate. |
