Zachęta Narodowa Galeria Sztuki
The National Art Gallery at Plac Małachowskiego: exhibitions of 20th- and 21st-century art, a collection of about 3,700 works and the Project Space.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Zachęta – National Art Gallery is housed in a more than century-old building on Plac Małachowskiego in Warsaw. The gallery presents the most interesting developments in 20th- and 21st-century art and is regarded as one of the leading cultural institutions in Europe. Its mission is to popularise contemporary art as an important element of cultural and social life.
The gallery’s rooms have shown works by outstanding Polish and foreign artists, among them Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans, Jan Lebenstein, Tadeusz Kantor, Katarzyna Kozyra and Wilhelm Sasnal. Zachęta also organises thematic exhibitions and presents young artists in the Project Space (Miejsce Projektów), a branch at ul. Gałczyńskiego 3 that serves as a laboratory for artistic experiments.
The gallery holds a collection of almost 3,700 works – paintings, sculpture, installations, video, graphic art and performance. For more than seventy years it has also looked after the exhibitions of the Polish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Art and Architecture. It runs educational activities for children, young people and adults, publishes books on contemporary art, and since 2011 has made images of works and many materials available under Creative Commons licences as part of the project “Otwarta Zachęta” (Open Zachęta).
Highlights
- Exhibitions of 20th- and 21st-century art in the historic building on Plac Małachowskiego
- Collection of about 3,700 works: painting, sculpture, installations, video, graphic art, performance
- Project Space (Miejsce Projektów) with free admission
- Care of the Polish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
- Art bookshop, and guided tours also in Polish Sign Language
- Founded
- 1860
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 30 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 20 złDoctoral students and students over 26, pensioners, disability pensioners, people with disabilities, active-service soldiers, teachers, veterans, and parents or guardians holding a Karta Dużej Rodziny. |
| Children & teens | 2 złfree up to age 7 · Young people aged 7–18 pay PLN 2; children under 7 enter free of charge. |
| Seniors | 20 złReduced ticket for pensioners and disability pensioners. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 20 złcompanion free · Reduced ticket; assistants of people with disabilities enter free of charge. |
| Students & apprentices | 5 złStudents up to the age of 26 pay PLN 5. |
| Groups (10+ people) | 15 zł per personPrice per person, from 10 people. |
| Families | 40 złFamily ticket for four people (at most two adults with children or school pupils under 18), and for holders of the Karta Dużej Rodziny. |
| Standard ticket with re-entry | 35 zł |
| Reduced ticket with re-entry | 25 zł |
| Ticket to a single exhibition | 20 złValid for the duration of one exhibition. |
| Annual pass, standard | 150 złPersonal, free admission to exhibitions. |
| Annual pass, reduced | 100 zł |
| Annual family pass | 190 złFor four people, including at most two adults. |
| Guided tour in Polish for up to 10 people | 200 złPlus an admission ticket for each person. |
| Guided tour in Polish for more than 10 people | 350 złPlus a group ticket. |
Free admission: Every Thursday – free admission. The Project Space is open free of charge every day.
Free admission is granted to, among others, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, staff of museums and galleries, and journalists; some concessions require proof of status. Holders of the Warsaw Pass and of the Deutsche Bank Art Card receive a discount.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The building is adapted for people with mobility impairments: the main entrance with a lift leads to level –1 (ticket office, cloakroom, accessible toilet), and an internal lift connects the exhibition levels. The building has tactile and voice information, tactile maps, Totupoint markers and induction loops at the service points. There are public parking spaces for people with disabilities in front of the gallery (entrance from ul. Królewska). Access to the multimedia room from ul. Burschego is difficult for wheelchair users. There is no tactile path. Guided tours are also held in Polish Sign Language; contact for the accessibility department: +48 887 036 195 (SMS and video call in PJM).
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 40 zł · Family ticket for four people (at most two adults with children or school pupils under 18), and for holders of the Karta Dużej Rodziny. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
The gallery runs family workshops and educational activities for children and young people. Pushchairs can be left in the cloakroom or taken up in the lift. Bags with children’s accessories may be brought in.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Zachęta (01) · 2-min walk
Metro lines M1 and M2, Świętokrzyska station (Próżna exit, about 2 minutes via ul. Królewska). Bus 106 – Zachęta stop (01); buses 111, 116, 128, 175, 178, 180, 222, 503, 518 and E-2 – Uniwersytet stop (01 or 02), about 2 minutes via ul. Traugutta. Trams 4, 15, 18, 35 – Królewska stop (05, 06).
By car
Parking available
In front of the gallery there are public parking spaces for people with disabilities (entrance from ul. Królewska).
- Accessible parking
There are bicycle racks and a small repair station in front of the building, and next to the gallery is the Veturilo city bike station “plac Małachowskiego”.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
The gallery has open Wi-Fi. The Art Bookshop is open Tuesday–Sunday 12:00–20:00. The cloakroom and lockers are free of charge.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Rules on photography and filming on the gallery premises apply (PDF file on the website). |
| Good to know | Handbags and backpacks no larger than 40 × 35 × 15 cm may be taken into the exhibition rooms; larger bags are left in the cloakroom or lockers. Group tours are held in Polish, English, Ukrainian, Turkish, Italian and French, and in Polish Sign Language; bookings: informacja@zacheta.art.pl. Animals must be carried; assistance dogs may enter the whole gallery. |
