Kozłówka Palace

Kozłówka Palace (say "kozh-WOOF-kah") is a Baroque residence of the aristocratic Zamoyski family about 40 km north of Lublin in eastern Poland. Today it houses the Zamoyski Museum, whose interiors from around 1900 survive almost complete, and a one-of-a-kind gallery of Socialist Realist art from the Stalinist era. With a chapel copied from Versailles, a carriage house and a formal French garden, it easily fills a whole day and is one of the best things to do near Lublin.

A short history

The palace was built in 1735–1742 for Michał Bieliński, probably to designs by the architect Józef Fontana. In 1799 it was bought by Aleksander Zamoyski, head of one of Poland's great noble houses. Konstanty Zamoyski settled here in 1870 and in 1897–1914 remodeled and expanded the complex into the form you see today; in 1903 Tsar Nicholas II approved the creation of a hereditary Kozłówka estate.

During World War II the last owner, Aleksander Zamoyski, was imprisoned in Auschwitz and Dachau. In 1944 the family fled to Warsaw with their most valuable paintings, most of which were lost in the Warsaw Uprising. That fall the communist authorities took over the estate and opened what the museum describes as the first Polish museum on territory freed from German occupation. For decades the palace served as a central state art depot before reopening as a museum of historic interiors in 1977. It received a Europa Nostra medal in 1998 and has been a Historic Monument of Poland since 2007.

What to see

• The palace – a suite of rooms with original paintings, furniture, stoves and decor from Konstanty Zamoyski's time. Visits are in groups of up to 25 with a staff member and a recorded guide, lasting about 50 minutes. Recordings exist in English and German, but only for pre-booked groups.
• The chapel (1903–1909), modeled on the Royal Chapel at Versailles, with a colonnade, stucco work and an organ built in 1907 by the Walcker firm of Ludwigsburg. A bust and a room commemorate Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, the future Primate of Poland, who stayed at Kozłówka during the German occupation.
• Socialist Realism Art Gallery – opened in 1994 and now shown in the former stables. Paintings, sculptures and posters glorifying workers and communist leaders offer a rare look at the official art of 1950s Poland.
• The Carriage House, the Art Gallery in the north pavilion, a temporary exhibition, the multimedia "Kozłówka on a Timeline" and the free Lapidarium and "Family Album" displays.
• The park with a French garden and fountain, open from 9:00 a.m. until dusk.

Opening hours (as of October 2026)

Palace, chapel, carriage house, Art Gallery, temporary exhibition:

• until October 31: Tuesday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• November 2–29: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Closed on Mondays and on November 1 and 11.

Socialist Realism gallery and the smaller exhibitions: until December 20, 2026 – Tuesday–Wednesday 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Thursday–Sunday 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

The museum closes for winter conservation work – the palace from the end of November and the other exhibitions from December 21. Last season the break lasted until the end of February; check the website for the 2027 reopening date. The park stays open.

The ticket office opens 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on exhibition days. Palace entries are limited per day, so in summer afternoon slots can sell out.

Tickets

• Palace: PLN 60 standard / PLN 40 reduced / PLN 50 for visitors over 60.
• Tuesdays: free palace entry, no booking – passes are handed out at the ticket office on a first-come basis.
• Socialist Realism gallery PLN 22; Art Gallery PLN 18; Carriage House PLN 17.
• Combined pass to all open exhibitions: PLN 80 standard; without the palace PLN 55.
• Children under 7 go free. A guided tour in a foreign language costs PLN 400 per group (minimum 5 people, by reservation) plus palace tickets.
• Online booking: bilety.muzeumzamoyskich.pl; phone +48 81 852 83 10.

Accessibility and tips

The palace's first floor is reached by 33 steps with no elevator; a wheelchair is available inside, but staff cannot carry wheelchairs upstairs. The Socialist Realism gallery and chapel have only a low threshold, and the carriage house is step-free. Private photography is allowed without flash, tripods or selfie sticks. Dogs are welcome in the park on a leash, but not in the exhibitions. There is an on-site bistro.

How to get to Kozłówka

Kozłówka is in the Kamionka district near Lubartów, roughly 40 km by car from Lublin, which has the nearest airport. The museum car park costs PLN 15 per car (one-off fee). Public transport connections are limited, so check bus timetables from Lublin or Lubartów in advance. Address: Kozłówka 3, 21-132 Kamionka.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes – the combination of a perfectly preserved aristocratic home and a gallery of communist propaganda art is rare anywhere in Europe. Visit between spring and late fall, avoid summer afternoons, and plan 3 to 4 hours.