Museums

Archdiocesan Museum in Kraków

The Archdiocesan Museum of Cardinal Karol Wojtyła in Kraków occupies two townhouses at 19–21 Kanonicza street, at the foot of Wawel: the House of St Stanisław and the Dean's House. It presents sacred art from the 13th to the 19th century — paintings, sculpture and artistic crafts that came here from churches and monasteries of the Kraków archdiocese.

A history full of obstacles

The institution, initially the Diocesan Museum, was erected in 1906 by Cardinal Jan Duklan Puzyna, yet for decades the collections were merely stored and moved: from Wawel to the Bishop's Palace, from there to the Dominican monastery, and in 1959 to the Augustinian monastery. Cardinal Karol Wojtyła planned to open the museum in the Augustinian monastery, but the project never came to fruition. Only on 5 May 1994 did Cardinal Franciszek Macharski open the Archdiocesan Museum in its present seat.

Traces of Wojtyła

The House of St Stanisław is the townhouse where Karol Wojtyła lived — today his room, filled with numerous gifts, forms one of the displays. The museum also runs temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, an unusual pairing of old sacred art with living artists.

Practical information

The museum stands on one of Kraków's oldest streets, between the Planty park and Wawel; in the neighbouring Erazm Ciołek Palace a branch of the National Museum is located. The visit combines easily with Wawel and the Main Market Square — both are within a short walk. Current opening hours and ticket prices are best checked on the museum's website before your visit.