Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań

The Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań (Muzeum Instrumentów Muzycznych) is a branch of the National Museum housed in historic townhouses at Stary Rynek 45, on the corner of Woźna Street. The museum describes itself as the only institution of its kind in Poland: it holds around 3,500 objects, roughly 600 of them on display, from Amati violins and a harpsichord reportedly played by the young Mozart to folk and non-European instruments. In 2026 it celebrates its 80th anniversary.

A short history

The museum grew out of the collection of Zdzisław Szulc (1895–1959), a collector and researcher. Of his 147 prewar objects, 80 survived World War II and became the core of the collection. The first instrument exhibition opened in May 1946, which the museum counts as its founding; it became a separate branch of the National Museum in 1952. Since 1957 it has been linked with the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Making Competition, held every five years in Poznań.

Highlights

• String instruments by Italian masters – the Amati family, Guadagnini, Testore – and by Polish luthiers Jan Dankwart and Marcin Groblicz.
• A harpsichord by Burkat Shudi (Tschudi), made for Frederick II of Prussia, which according to the museum was played by the young Mozart.
• A fortepiano by Anton Walter and Chopin memorabilia.
• Violins associated with Henryk Wieniawski, the 19th-century Polish virtuoso, including an 1846 instrument by F. Gand.
• Folk and world instruments, such as a Bolivian guitar made from an armadillo shell and an Indian instrument shaped like a peacock.

What's changing

A digitization project with the National Fryderyk Chopin Institute is scanning the string collection with CT and 3D photogrammetry and recording its sound, running until 2029. The museum also plans to roof over its courtyard to gain exhibition space, and a new sign and a violin-shaped entrance door were announced in autumn 2026.

Opening hours and tickets

The branch's web page does not currently publish hours or prices, so we do not list unconfirmed times. Before you go, check the National Museum in Poznań website or call its information line, +48 61 85 68 000. The museum is operating (events are scheduled for November 2026). Prices, if you pay at the desk, are in Polish złoty (PLN); labels are mainly in Polish.

Getting there and how long to stay

The address is Stary Rynek 45, in the pedestrian Old Town. Poznań sits in western Poland, about 2.5–3 hours by direct train from Berlin or Warsaw; the square is a 25-minute walk from Poznań Główny station. Allow about an hour. It's a great stop for music lovers and families, since kids tend to love the exotic instruments.

Is it worth visiting?

If you have any interest in music, yes: few museums anywhere let you see a Mozart-era harpsichord, Wieniawski's violins and an armadillo-shell guitar in one visit. Combine it with the Town Hall goats at noon, the Croissant Museum and the Greater Poland Uprising Museum, all a few steps away.