National Museum in Szczecin – Main Building

The National Museum in Szczecin's Main Building sits right on the Chrobry Embankment (Wały Chrobrego), the grand riverside terraces that are the city's signature view. It is the flagship of the largest museum in Western Pomerania, and in one visit you can see medieval Pomeranian art, a remarkable collection of full-size casts of ancient bronze statues, and one of Poland's strongest displays of African art. It's a great rainy-day option and an easy add-on to a riverside stroll.

Where it is and how to get there

Szczecin (say "SHCHEH-cheen"), the former German Stettin, lies in northwest Poland about 150 km (93 mi) from Berlin – roughly two hours by car or regional train – and about five to six hours by train from Warsaw. The museum building is at Wały Chrobrego 3, about 1 km from the Port Gate (Brama Portowa) in the city center and around 800 m from St. James Cathedral. Most visitors walk; downtown street parking is paid.

History of the building

The building was designed by Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau, the architect behind the whole terrace complex, as Stettin's municipal museum (Stadtmuseum) in the early 20th century. Construction stopped in 1913 with only the river-facing wing and side elevations completed – the planned city-side wing was never built.

After the war, when Szczecin became part of Poland, a new Polish museum was founded on August 1, 1945, taking over what remained of the German municipal and Pomeranian state museum collections. It gained national museum status in 1970. Today it looks after more than 150,000 objects and holds Poland's largest collection of non-European material culture, especially from Africa.

What to see

Permanent exhibitions in the Main Building include:

• The Ancient Roots of Europe – the Dohrn Collection: reconstructions of famous ancient bronze statues plus ancient ceramics, a legacy of the Dohrns, a wealthy Stettin merchant family;
• Mystery of Light – Medieval Art in Pomerania, from the 12th century to the Reformation of 1534;
• Hidden Meanings – Art in Pomerania in the 16th and 17th Centuries;
• In an African Village, with full-size reconstructed homesteads of the Lobi and Somba peoples;
• Art of Africa – Between Mask and Fetish and Children of Magic, about African puppets and marionettes.

Allow 1.5–2 hours. Families tend to love the African village; art lovers should head for the medieval galleries. Note that the building's viewing tower is closed throughout 2026 for renovation.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

Hours are the same year-round for the Szczecin branches, including winter 2026/27:

• Monday: closed
• Tuesday and Sunday: 10 am–4 pm
• Wednesday–Saturday: 10 am–6 pm

The museum closes on several public holidays, including November 1, December 24–25 and 31, and January 1 and 6.

Tickets: 20 PLN standard / 12 PLN reduced for the permanent exhibitions of one branch; temporary exhibitions 15/8 PLN; combined ticket 30/15 PLN; a three-day pass to all branches 65/40 PLN. Children under 7 go free, and admission to the permanent exhibitions is free on Saturdays. Tickets are sold at the desk. Phone: +48 91 431 52 00.

Is it worth visiting?

If you are in Szczecin for a day or more, yes – especially combined with the terraces outside. With more time, the same ticket system covers the Museum of Regional Traditions, the Museum of the History of Szczecin in the Old Town Hall, and the award-winning Dialogue Centre Przełomy, which tells the story of postwar Szczecin.

Nearby

Step outside onto the Chrobry Embankment, a roughly 500-meter (1,640 ft) terrace above the Oder laid out from 1902 by the same architect. In front of its fountain – a statue of Hercules fighting a centaur by the German sculptor Ludwig Manzel – stand two towers styled like lighthouses, and twin staircases lead down to the quay. The terraces are flanked by the monumental Regional Government building and the Maritime University. From here it is a short walk to the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle and the Old Town, with the riverside boulevards especially pleasant at sunset.

Accessibility and practical tips

Signage and labels are mainly in Polish, so a translation app helps in the galleries. Guided tours by museum staff can be booked for groups (60 PLN for up to 10 people, 100 PLN for larger groups, plus tickets). If you want to save money, plan your visit for a Saturday, when the permanent galleries are free.