Thesaurus Cracoviensis

About the museum

In December 2007 the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków (Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa) received from the commune an unfinished wing of a primary school at ul. Księcia Józefa 337. Because the museum needed a central collection store, at the beginning of 2008 it was decided that it would be set up here. The building was adapted to the needs of a store, conservation workshops and a photographic studio.

In time the idea arose of opening the store to the public as the Centre for the Interpretation of Artefacts (Centrum Interpretacji Artefaktów). The collections are shown in specially designed, partly glazed storage furniture. In the basement one can see, among other things, Kraków nativity scenes (szopki krakowskie) in glazed chests, artistic craftwork and furniture, and a multimedia room with digitised collections. On the ground floor are the stores for numismatics, weapons and prints; on the first floor, for textiles and paintings. A glazed corridor beside the conservation workshops lets visitors watch the conservators at work.

The individual stores have evocative names: prints are kept in the Old Library (Stara Biblioteka), textiles in the Skład Bławatny (Drapers’ Warehouse) and the Garderoba Babci (Grandma’s Wardrobe), weapons in the Arsenał (Arsenal), and coins in the Skarbiec (Treasury). The patron of the branch is Saint Nicholas.

Highlights

• collection stores open to visitors
• Kraków nativity scenes in glazed chests
• stores: Old Library, Drapers’ Warehouse, Grandma’s Wardrobe, Arsenal and Treasury
• glazed corridor beside the conservation workshops
• multimedia room with digitised collections

Permanent exhibition

• Zwiedzanie magazynów zbiorów i pracowni konserwatorskich – Guided route through the stores of paintings, prints, numismatics, weapons, textiles and Kraków nativity scenes, and past the conservation workshops.

Founded

2017

Operated by

Muzeum Krakowa

Admission & discounts

The branch has no free admission day. The Saturday guided tour is included in the ticket price. Tickets are bought online or at the branch as available; according to the regulations, purchase or booking should be made at least 4 days before the date.

Accessibility

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

The exhibition, the corridors and the doors on every level are free of obstacles, and the branch has a wheelchair available. The lift has voice announcements, buttons with Braille and a cabin of 1.4 × 1.4 m. The toilet for people with disabilities is on level −1. A tour with a Polish Sign Language interpreter is possible if arranged in advance. There are no designated parking spaces for people with disabilities.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Playground / play area: not available

On Fridays the branch runs classes for kindergartens and schools, for example “Budujemy skarbiec” (We Are Building a Treasury), “Gra o artefakt” (Game About an Artefact) and “Misja – detektyw” (Mission: Detective). There is no special corner for children.

Getting there & parking

Entrance and access to the branch from ul. Wiktora Oszustowskiego.

Amenities & dining

• Wi-Fi: not available

According to the accessibility statement, the branch has no Wi-Fi for visitors.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit