Muzeum Palace

About the museum

Palace Villa was built in 1930 as a hotel. In November 1939 the Germans set up the Gestapo headquarters here, and prison cells in the cellars. The place, known as the Torture House of Podhale (Katownia Podhala), saw thousands of Poles pass through it. Most of them were tortured, about 250 people were killed on the spot, and the rest were transferred to other prisons and concentration camps. Among the prisoners were Blessed Piotr Dańkowski, Franciszek Gajowniczek and the Tatra couriers Stanisław Marusarz, Helena Marusarzówna and Bronisław Czech.

The first, small museum was set up here in 1994 on the initiative of the association Muzeum Walki i Męczeństwa “Palace” (Museum of Struggle and Martyrdom “Palace”). In December 2017 the city of Zakopane bought the building, and after a three-year renovation the institution became a branch of the Tatra Museum named after Dr Tytus Chałubiński. Part of the exhibition opened to visitors on 27 March 2024, and further parts are being prepared.

The tour begins on the ground floor, which shows prewar Zakopane as a health resort and winter sports centre and the town under occupation. In the cellars are cells with inscriptions carved by prisoners and recordings of the memories of former prisoners; upstairs the German terror in the Podhale region is described. A multimedia list documents about 1,500 prisoners held in Palace.

Key themes

• Cellar prison cells with inscriptions carved by prisoners
• Recordings of the memories of former prisoners
• Multimedia list of about 1,500 prisoners
• The story of the German occupation of Podhale
• Prewar Zakopane on the ground floor

Permanent exhibition

• Wystawa stała o okupacji niemieckiej na Podhalu – The story of the residents of the Podtatrze region during the German occupation: prewar Zakopane, prison cells in the cellars and German terror in the Podhale region.

Founded

1994

Operated by

Muzeum Tatrzańskie im. dra Tytusa Chałubińskiego w Zakopanem

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On Thursdays admission to the permanent exhibitions is free.

PLN 20 (reduced PLN 10) applies to the permanent exhibition alone; a temporary exhibition alone costs PLN 12 (reduced PLN 6).

Accessibility

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

The Tatra Museum admits guide dogs for blind visitors. Details of the branch's accessibility have not been published on the museum's website.

Kids & families

Holders of the Large Family Card buy a ticket for PLN 6.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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