Road Engineering Museum in Szczucin

The Road Museum in Szczucin (roughly "SHCHOO-cheen") is one of the most unusual free things to do in southern Poland: an open-air collection of steam rollers, snowplows and road-building machines, plus a walking trail that takes you through the history of roads from ancient paving to modern asphalt. Run by Poland's national roads authority (GDDKiA) as its Road History Centre, it is a rewarding stop for families, engineers and anyone who likes big vintage machinery.

Where it is

Szczucin is a small town in the Lesser Poland (Małopolska) region, close to the Vistula River, on national road 73 between Kielce and Tarnów. The nearest larger city is Tarnów, about 45 km (28 miles) away; from Kraków and its airport, allow roughly two hours by car. Public transport is limited, so a rental car is by far the easiest option.

A museum built by road workers

The collection began in 1982, when road crews from the Tarnów district started rescuing old machines that were about to be scrapped. The first exhibits stood at the edge of a working road maintenance depot. In 1992 the site was listed as a protected monument, and in 2005 GDDKiA took over the collection. By 2008 more than 2,000 objects had been catalogued and some 150,000 people had visited. It is often described as the only museum of its kind in Poland.

What to see

• The main building, with two brick towers and an arched span designed to look like a bridge. Inside are exhibits on road and bridge construction, life-size scenes of road crews at work, documents, medals and uniforms.
• A 51-meter Bailey bridge – the steel military-style bridge links the building with the outdoor area and gives you a good view over the whole site.
• The road history trail, a winding path of more than a kilometer made of original curbs, culverts and paving types, arranged chronologically from antiquity to today.
• The machines: steam rollers (including a handsome Henschel), diesel and towed rollers, boilers, stone crushers, snowplows, tractors, graders and a narrow-gauge WLs40 locomotive from a former local brickworks.

How long to stay and tips

The operator suggests 1 to 3 hours. The outdoor area is designed for self-guided visits, and Bluetooth beacons on site work with a regional tourism app. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Information panels are mainly in Polish, so a translation app helps; the machines speak for themselves. Barbecues are allowed if you reserve in advance and bring your own food and charcoal.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026:

• Admission: free – no tickets needed, so you won't need any PLN on site.
• Opening hours: year-round Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; from April 11 to October 25, 2026, the outdoor exhibition also opens on Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Address: ul. 1 Maja 39, 33-230 Szczucin.
• Groups must book ahead: +48 14 643 52 78, whd@gddkia.gov.pl.

Is it worth visiting?

If you are driving between Kraków and the Świętokrzyskie Mountains or Sandomierz, yes – it is free, uncrowded and genuinely different from the castles and churches on most itineraries. Kids love the giant rollers, and engineers will appreciate how the trail shows the evolution of road surfaces. Combine it with Tarnów's Renaissance old town for a full day.