Polish Aviation Museum

The Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego) is one of Europe's largest aviation museums and a must for anyone who loves aircraft. It occupies the historic Rakowice-Czyżyny airfield (roughly "ra-ko-VEE-tseh chi-ZHI-ni"), about 4 km east of Kraków's Old Town, where hangars and a vast open-air display hold more than 200 aircraft – from World War I biplanes to Cold War jets. Several are the last surviving examples in the world, and CNN once ranked it among the world's best aviation museums.

History of the airfield

The airfield opened in 1912 for the Austro-Hungarian air force, making it one of the oldest military airfields in the world. It served as a stop on an airmail route in 1917 and remained in use until 1963, when work on a museum began; the first exhibition opened in 1964. The core of the collection is a set of German aircraft seized in 1945, including planes from Hermann Göring's collection – many of them rare survivors of the interwar and wartime era.

The striking main building, designed by Justus Pysall, Peter Ruge and Bartłomiej Kisielewski, opened on September 18, 2010; seen from above, it resembles a propeller. More recently, the museum rebuilt historic Hangar No. 5 as the "Heksagon" to house its civil aviation exhibition.

What to see

The collection is spread across several buildings and the old airfield. Permanent exhibitions listed by the museum include:

• The Main Building, with aircraft and a historical display
• Wings of the Great War and Wings and People of the 20th Century
• Wings of the Cold War – jets from both sides of the Iron Curtain
• MiG Alley and a large open-air display of planes and helicopters
• The Engine Hall, packed with aero engines
• With and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation (Heksagon hangar), plus History Stores, Aviation Archaeology and Agricultural Aviation

Highlights include the world's only surviving PZL P.11c, a Polish fighter that fought in September 1939, and unique examples of the DFW C.V, Grigorovich M-15 and PWS-26. Among the modern jets you'll find a Swedish SAAB Viggen and an Italian F-104 Starfighter.

Is it worth visiting?

Definitely – even non-specialists tend to enjoy it, and kids love the outdoor display. Allow 3–4 hours (a full day if you're an enthusiast). Audio guides are available in English, and guided tours can be booked in English or German. In winter, focus on the indoor halls and save the open-air area for a dry day.

Tips for your visit

• Best season: May to September, when the open-air display looks its best and the museum stays open until 6 pm. In winter, arrive in the morning – it closes at 4 pm and it gets dark early.
• Free Tuesdays save money but bring bigger crowds; pick another day if you want quiet hangars.
• Accessibility: two parking spaces for disabled visitors are reserved next to the museum (book by phone), and the museum website has a section on accessible visiting.
• Library: the museum also keeps an aviation library of more than 30,000 items.
• Fun fact: from 2004 to 2019 the museum grounds hosted 15 editions of the Małopolska Air Picnic, a popular air show.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026 (museum calendar):

• October: Tuesday–Sunday 9 am–5 pm
• November–February: Tuesday–Sunday 9 am–4 pm
• March–May 9 am–5 pm; June–September 9 am–6 pm
• Closed Mondays; last entry 45 minutes before closing
• Closed on November 1 and 11, December 24–26, and January 1 and 6

Tickets: regular 35 PLN, reduced 21 PLN, family 92 PLN (2 adults + 2 children or 1 + 3); children under 7 free. Admission is free on Tuesdays. Audio guide 25 PLN (50 PLN with headphones); a guide in English costs 280 PLN per group.

How to get there

The museum is at al. Jana Pawła II 39. Take the tram to the "Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego" stop (lines 5, 15, 70 and 74, according to the museum). From Kraków Airport (Balice), about 15 km west of the city center, take the train to Kraków Główny and continue by tram or taxi. Drivers can use free parking off Markowskiego Street and Gnysia Street.

Nearby

Combine your visit with Nowa Huta, the planned socialist-realist district further east, or a walk in the large Polish Aviators' Park next to the museum.