Radoliński Palace in Jarocin

The Radoliński Palace in Jarocin (pronounced "yah-ROH-tseen") is a castle-like Gothic Revival mansion with battlements and turrets, set in a historic park in the middle of a small town in western Poland. It was designed by Friedrich August Stüler, one of the leading Prussian architects of the 19th century, and since 2022 it has housed the town's Regional Museum. Expect a freshly restored exterior, a compact local history exhibition and a hands-on science zone that kids love.

Where it is and how to get there

Jarocin lies in the Greater Poland region, about 70 km (45 miles) southeast of Poznań – roughly an hour by car. Wrocław is about two hours' drive away, and both cities have international airports. Jarocin has a railway station on the line from Poznań to Ostrów Wielkopolski, and the palace stands in the town center at ul. Park 3.

A palace and a diplomat

The Radoliński family bought the Jarocin estate in the late 17th century, and Władysław Radoliński began building the palace in 1848. At the time the town lay in the Prussian partition of Poland, which explains both the Prussian architect and the family's careers. His son, Prince Hugo von Radolin (1841–1917), became a German diplomat and served as ambassador in Constantinople, St. Petersburg and Paris. After retiring he returned to Jarocin and added a new southeast wing in 1910–1911.

In 1917 a fire gutted most of the palace; only the new wing escaped, and the grand interiors were never restored to their former glory. The last heir left in 1945. After World War II the building held a library and a school for librarians, then passed to the town in 2008. Following renovation in 2020–2021, the museum moved in.

What to see

• The history exhibition in five ground-floor rooms, covering the town from 1793 to 1989: the partitions, the 1918–1919 Greater Poland Uprising, the Nazi German occupation and the communist era, including vintage amateur films.
• Rooms on the palace and the Radoliński family, with original woodwork, a fireplace, furniture and stained glass.
• The surviving 1910–1911 wing, with paneling, heraldic ceiling beams and a carved oak spiral staircase made in Nuremberg in 1912.
• The SOWA science zone, with 18 interactive exhibits and a maker workshop, created with the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw.
• A sundial of 1910 on the garden facade inscribed "sine sole sileo" ("without the sun I am silent").

Allow about 1.5 hours for the exhibitions and up to three hours with the science zone and park. Signage is mainly in Polish.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Tuesday–Friday 8 am–4 pm, Saturday–Sunday noon–4 pm, closed Mondays.
• Regular ticket 15 PLN, reduced 10 PLN, family ticket 35 PLN; children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Groups over 10: 10/7 PLN per person, plus 40 PLN for a guided tour (in Polish unless arranged).
• Information: +48 533 465 224, info@muzeumjarocin.pl.

Is it worth visiting?

It is a solid half-day stop if you are driving through Greater Poland, especially with children. The palace even has a budget youth hostel (60 PLN per night). Music fans should also look for the Polish Rock Granary nearby, which recalls the legendary Jarocin rock festival, and the Mickiewicz Museum at Śmiełów is only about 18 km away.