Żydowskie Muzeum Galicja w Krakowie

About the museum

The Galicia Jewish Museum was founded in April 2004 by the British photographer Chris Schwarz. The basis of the museum was the project “Śladami pamięci” (Traces of Memory), which Schwarz carried out together with the anthropologist Jonathan Webber of Oxford: over about ten years they documented the surviving traces of Jewish life in Galicia and gathered more than a thousand photographs. Schwarz moved to Poland in February 2004, adapted a former warehouse in Kraków’s Kazimierz district, and the museum opened seven weeks later.

The institution operates as a public benefit organisation in Poland and in Great Britain. After Schwarz’s death in 2007 the museum was headed by Kathreen Craddy, and since 2010 the director has been Jakub Nowakowski. It is housed in a renovated post-industrial building of a former mill at ul. Dajwór.

Besides the permanent exhibition “Śladami pamięci”, the museum presents the exhibition “Dziesięć polskich miast – dziesięć żydowskich historii” (Ten Polish Towns – Ten Jewish Histories) and the exhibition “KEF to zabawa!” for young visitors, which explains Judaism and the history of the Jews. It also runs temporary exhibitions, educational and cultural programmes, a multimedia centre, research and publishing activities, a bookshop and a café. In 2019 it was visited by more than 70 thousand people.

Highlights

• Exhibition “Śladami pamięci” – a contemporary look at Poland’s Jewish past
• “Dziesięć polskich miast – dziesięć żydowskich historii”
• Family exhibition “KEF to zabawa!”
• Play corner for children at the entrance
• Café and bookshop in the museum building

Permanent exhibitions

• Śladami pamięci – A contemporary look at Poland’s Jewish past, based on the research of Jonathan Webber and the photographs of Chris Schwarz.
• Dziesięć polskich miast – dziesięć żydowskich historii – Exhibition presenting the fate of Jewish communities in ten Polish towns.
• KEF to zabawa! – Exhibition for young visitors explaining the basics of Judaism and the history of the Jews.

Founded

2004

Operated by

Żydowskie Muzeum Galicja

Director

Jakub Nowakowski

Visitors per year

approx. 30,000

Admission & discounts

The museum honours ICOM membership cards, the Krakow Tourist Card and Hop On Hop Off tickets.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• 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 museum has no steps, the corridors are wide, and one toilet is adapted. Yellow tapes for visually impaired visitors are attached to the doors. The accessibility statement has not yet been published on the museum’s website.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

At the entrance there is a glazed play corner with crayons, colouring books and soft toys, where children can stay under the care of staff while parents view the exhibition. The exhibition “KEF to zabawa!” is intended for young visitors, and one toilet has a baby-changing table.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in Kazimierz, about 20 minutes on foot from the Main Market Square.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

A café with juices and sweet snacks, and a bookshop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit