Museums, Bydgoszcz

Malbork castle was medieval Europe’s largest fortress. Picturesquely situated by the Nogat river, the three-castle complex was, for 150 years, the capital of the Teutonic state. The castle's origins date back to the second half of the 13th century. Beginning in 1309, Malbork was the seat of the grand masters of the Teutonic Order and the capital of one of medieval Europe's most powerful states. With a surface area of some 21 hectares, Malbork Castle is the largest Gothic castle complex in the world and a masterpiece of late-medieval fortification and residential architecture. In 1997 Malbork Castle was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the castle's must-sees is the exhibition of Amber Contexts, looking at the gemstone from a variety of possible angles. Tree resin fossilised millions of years ago, amber reflects the complexity of nature. It can be regarded in a number of contexts, including a natural scientific and artistic one. It can also be looked at from a functional perspective. The Malbork amber collection has earned a reputation as one of the world's best and largest. http://en.visitmalbork.pl/905,The-biggest-gothic-castle-in-the-world.html

The National Maritime Museum, considered to be one of the finest of its kind in Europe. Among the exhibits presented one can see: port navigation, techniques of reloading goods, what a merchant trading office and middle-class salon looked like, as well as the workshops of sailmakers, ship carpenters and ropemakers. The historic walls also conceal Poland’s only permanent exhibition of maritime paintings. The exhibition shows the history of diving and the most interesting archaeological sites in Poland and the world. It includes diving equipment: suits, devices and different types of diving bells that were used to explore the seabed. Some of the world’s most famous archaeological sites presented in the exhibition are shipwrecks from Homer’s epoch found off the coast of Turkey. The section devoted to underwater archaeology in Poland presents the largest achievements of the National Maritime Museum’s research team - “Miedziowca” a merchant ship from the fifteenth century, exploration of the Swedish warship “Solena” from the seventeenth century and the English wreck from the eighteenth century “General Carlton of Withby”. The youngest branch of the museum - the Maritime Culture Centre located next to the Crane is the only educational facility in Poland and one of the most modern facilities in Europe, which in an interactive and multimedia way presents maritime issues. It is an exciting adventure in science! http://visitgdansk.com/en/hity-gdanska/The-Crane,a,3485

Solidarności Square - the impressive rusty block resembles a ship’s hull. This characteristic expressive building covered with corten steel dominates the landscape of the former shipyard terrain. The European Solidarity Centre (ESC) is important institution on the freedom trail in a new, experimental form: it is not only a museum dedicated to the history of Solidarity and anti communist opposition in Poland and Europe, but also a centre of dialog in the modern world; a meeting place for people who are close to the values of liberty and democracy. The heart of ESC is a grand exhibition arranged which narrative allows everyone to find their own meaning and emotions. Visitors from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany also find their piece of history in the centre. But ESC is also a library, reading room and archives. It is a centre for research, education and training as well as creative workshops for young people. There is also a place for younger visitors - the Playroom Department is a multimedia educational room for children. http://visitgdansk.com/en/hity-gdanska/European-Solidarity-Centre,a,3480

The Polish Maritime Museum (Oddział Centralnego Muzeum Morskiego) is represented in Gdynia by the Dar Pomorza (Gift of Pomerania), a frigate dating back to 1909. The ship originally served as a training ship, and is now open to the public. Tours through the ship show visitors the twin decks, the engine room, sail store, officer's rooms, as well as the deck, the galley and the forecastle. The Dar Pomorze is also a frequent visitor to international tall ship shows. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/gdynia/attractions/polish-maritime-museum/

The regional museum (Muzeum w Koszalinie) gives an overview of the history of Koszalin and its surrounding areas with the exhibition of archaeological findings, coin collections and historic pictures and artefacts. An annexe of the museum is situated in a nice villa at ul. Piłsudskiego. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/koszalin/attractions/koszalin-museum/

The POLIN Museum restores the memory of the rich, thousand-year shared history of two peoples: Poles and Jews. The interactive exposition will take you on an incredible journey across centuries. You’ll have the chance to walk the streets of a pre-war Jewish shtetl and discover how Polish and Jewish cultures have intermingled. The edifice of the museum is itself an architectural attraction and a landmark of modern Warsaw. Before you start your tour, pay attention to the building itself, which conceals many symbols and meanings, for example: the main hall “cuts” the museum building from the underground to the roof, symbolising the crack in the history of Polish Jews caused by the Holocaust. On the glass panes covering the façades is the Hebrew word Polin, which means “Poland” or “here you will rest”. Then go on a journey through the centuries following the route designated by eight theme galleries. Antique objects, paintings, interactive exhibits, reconstructions and video projections will bring you closer to this fascinating history. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/polin-museum-of-history-of-polish-jews/

A unique place that helps visitors understand contemporary Warsaw. This interactive museum commemorates the largest underground combat operation in German-occupied Europe during World War II. The 1944 Warsaw Uprising changed forever the face of the Polish capital. The multimedia exhibition reflects the atmosphere of the Uprising, shows not only the military history of the 63 days of fighting and the everyday life of the civilian population, but also describes the post-war communist terror. Strolling along the granite pavement among the rubble of the destroyed capital, you will listen to the stories of the insurgents and see original exhibits from the uprising. You will understand how soldiers moving through the sewers felt and you will see a birds-eye view of the flattened city in the film City of Ruins. https://warsawtour.pl/en/project/warsaw-rising-museum-2/

Zachęta is one of the oldest showrooms in Poland. The impressive building was built between 1898-1900 and designed by Stefan Szyller. All the most outstanding Polish artists’ presented their works in Zachęta, including Wojciech Gerson, Jan Matejko, Józef Chełmoński, Józef Brandt, Stanisław Wyspiański, Józef Mehoffer and many others. http://www.warsawtour.pl/en/tourist-attractions/zach-ta-national-gallery-of-art-zach-ta-narodowa-galeria-sztuki-2439.html

The highest and most recognisable building in Warsaw can be seen from almost every part of the capital. Where did it come from? It was opened in 1955 on the initiative of Joseph Stalin as a “gift of the Soviet people for the Poles”. Built by Russian workers, for a long time, it was considered to be a symbol of socialist power and the pride of People’s Poland – it was where conventions of the Polish United Workers’ Party took place. Since its very beginning, its monumental interiors have hosted numerous concerts, exhibitions, fairs and shows. Currently, the palace is home to theatres, a cinema, museums, trendy pubs and the main Warsaw Tourist Information office. Go up to the observation deck on the 30th floor of the building and see the beautiful panorama of the city from a height of 114 metres. Take a look at the socialist realist sculptures placed in the niches of the palace’s facade. Each symbolises a different field of science, art, technology or culture, for example a young man with a book of classical literature, a member of komsomol, an archer and a woman from Central Asia. In a direct line from the main entrance, you will find a stone honour tribune, from which the first secretaries of the Central Committee of the Polish communist party greeted those marching on the May Day parade. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/palace-of-culture-and-science-2/

Fryderyk Chopin is one of the most famous Varsovians and a trip to his museum is a must on any visit to Warsaw. It is located in the historic Ostrogski Palace and is one of the most modern biographical museums in Europe. The exhibits and multimedia displays tell the story of the life and the work of the composer. You will learn everything about his childhood and youth spent in Warsaw and his life after he emigrated. You will see letters written to him and by him, drawings and dedications. You will see portraits made during the composer’s lifetime, his hand casting, his death mask and priceless memorabilia: a gold watch given to the 10-year-old artist in recognition of his talent, a candy box, a keyring with his initials, a cufflink, and a priceless Pleyel piano on which the composer played for the last two years of his life. https://warsawtour.pl/en/project/chopin-museum-in-warsaw/

The District Museum in Rzeszów is a multi-faceted institution located in the historic 17th century Piarist building at 3 Maja 19 Street. The historical monastery complex includes the former male school of the Order of Piarists (currently I High School). The center of the architectural complex is occupied by the parish church of Saint. Cross with a beautiful interior design. http://www.rzeszow.pl/kultura-i-sport/galerie/galeria-fotografii-miasta-rzeszowa

The museum houses a magnificent collection of over 830,000 exhibits from all periods, from antiquity to the present. Masterpieces of Polish and world art are presented in themed galleries. In the Faras Gallery you can see the largest collection of Nubian artefacts in Europe from the eighth to the fourteenth centuries, including a unique collection of wall paintings. They come from the flooded Christian cathedral at Faras in Sudan and depict divinities, dignitaries and saints. Authentic 15th-century altars from various regions of Poland, Gothic sculptures and paintings for private prayer houses can be seen in the Gallery of Medieval Art. If you want to understand the role of art in the past, this is the place for you. In the Gallery of Old Art, you will be transported to an era when painting and sculpture functioned on a par with crafts. Next to paintings and sculptures, you will see beautifully decorated furniture, fabrics and dishes, and even the coat and coronation insignia of the King Augustus III. Don’t forget to check out the schedule of temporary exhibitions. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/national-museum/

This vast park is a favourite place for Varsovians where they go for long walks amid beautiful nature and architecture to rest from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the heart of the park is the summer residence of the last king of Poland – Stanisław August Poniatowski. The name of the complex comes from the seventeenth-century bathhouse of a Polish nobleman, rebuilt in the 18th century into a palace. Here, in the Palace on the Island, King Stanisław August Poniatowski hosted his famous Thursday dinners, to which he invited scholars and poets to discuss the issues of the day. Today it is a museum where you can admire paintings from the royal collections. In the grounds of Łazienki you will also see an orangery, an amphitheatre, an eighteenth-century court theatre, the Museum of Hunting and Horse-riding, the Myślewicki Palace and numerous free-standing sculptures. http://warsawtour.pl/en/project/lazienki-krolewskie-museum-2/

The main buildings of the National Museum in Szczecin (Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie) is located at the Chrobry Embankment, in the former Maritime Museum. Here you will find thousands of historic artifacts from the region, information about the seafaring history of the city, as well as a new permanent exhibition on the Golden Age of the Pomeranian Region. Also worthwhile is a view from the viewing tower on top of the museum, although the climb to the platform via a narrow staircase is said to be challenging. Also part of the National Museum is Szczecin's History Museum (Muzeum Historii Szczecina), which is situated in the Old Town Hall. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/szczecin/attractions/national-museum/

The first wooden residence for the rulers of Pomerania was first erected here in the 13th century, on a hill along the Odra River. More than 100 years later Barnim III made it a building of stone. The Pomeranian Duke's Castle (Zamek Książąt Pomorskich) was then continuously expanded. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/szczecin/attractions/pomeranian-dukes-castle/

The painting present the Battle of Racławice in April 1794, in which Poles won over Russians. The monumental picture is 114m long and 15m high. It was the idea of Jan Styka, a painter from Lvov, who invited among others Wojciech Kossak, Tadeusz Popiel, Teodor Axentowicz, Włodzimierz Tetmajer to work on the painting. The work took 9 months to finish. A rotunda with Panorama of the Battle of Racławice (Panorama Racławicka), built in Stryjeński Park, became one of the attractions of Lvov. The technology applied by the authors can be compared to the contemporary 3D technology. Special, panoramic perspective, lighting and scenography constructed in front of the picture make it look multidimensional. During the visit, the viewers can listen to the history of the painting and the events presented in 16 languages (including Korean, Japanese, Croatian and Esperanto). For blind people there is an audio description available. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/panorama-raclawicka-wroclaw

From 2009 the palace is the main building of the City Museum of Wrocław and presents, among others the exhibition “1000 years of Wrocław”. The Royal Palace (Pałac Królewski) was called Spaetgen’s Palace, from the name of one of the first owners. In 1717 baron Heinrich G. Spaetgen bought a small baroque mansion close to Rynek. After his death in 1750, a Prussian King Frederick II bought the palace. It became a royal mansion, and Wrocław joined Berlin and Königsberg (today’s Kaliningrad) as a residence city. The next Prussian kings extended the palace, changed its design and character. In the middle of the 19th century the palace extended itself from Wolności Square to Kazimierza Wielkiego Street. After the fall of the empire the palace was taken by the city authorities, in the 20s the Palace Museum was opened. During World War II the building was seriously damaged. https://visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/royal-palace-historical-museum

Visitors will only see original interior from the world and the era of Prince Pückler in Branitz Castle. While the library allows the visitors to familiarise themselves with his thinking, the Oriental rooms will take people on the great journey of the prince to the pyramids of Egypt. http://cottbus-tourismus.de/en/experience-and-detection/museums/article-stiftung-fuerst-pueckler-museum-park-und-schloss-branitz-schloss-.html

The Pergamonmuseum is nothing short of a wonder in itself. Its rooms are overflowing with some of the world’s most impressive, long buried, treasures. The museum encompasses the vast history of the Ancient East, with collections that can not be experienced elsewhere. The museum is named after the Pergamon Altar, a Hellenistic masterpiece of white stone architecture. The imposing structure invites you to walk the steps of 2000 years of history and behold its intricacies close-up. But don’t get lost in this wonder for too long, as there are many more under the museum’s roof. Artefacts have been gathered from Iran, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Caucasus, and these worlds have been recreated for you to explore within the Pergamonmuseum. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/pergamon-museum

The Reichstag is an internationally recognisable symbol of democracy and the current home of the German parliament. Every year, thousands of guests visit the Reichstag - and with good reason: It is not often that you can enjoy such an amazing panorama while, just beneath your feet, the political decisions of tomorrow are being made. Both as an architectural wonder and a historical testimony, the Reichstag has an important role to play in Berlin. There are several options to visit the Reichstag: join a guided tour; listen to a plenary session (in German of course) or climb up to the dome and the roof! https://www.visitberlin.de/en/reichstag-in-berlin

The government buildings in the heart of Berlin form a ribbon across the river Spree, symbolically connecting East and West. The parliamentary offices and the chancellery were not built until the wall came down and Berlin was chosen as the country’s seat of government. The buildings are exciting examples of contemporary architecture that no-one sightseeing in Berlin can afford to miss. The original idea for the Band des Bundes was a gesture of reunification. In a dual piece of symbolism, the government buildings and the offices for democratically elected MPs are both a physical connection and a symbolic bridge between East and West. The federal buildings are not just the centre of the town in geographical terms; since 2006, the striking concrete and glass buildings have been the first thing that visitors to Berlin see when they arrive at the city’s main station. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/band-des-bundes

The Regional Museum Neubrandenburg (founded in 1872) is one of the oldest civic museums in Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania. At two close-by locations in the western part of the centre the visitor will see exhibitions about the history of Neubrandenburg and environment which are complemented by changing special exhibitions about different themes. https://www.neubrandenburg-touristinfo.de/en/culture/regionalmuseum

Discover the magic of the rococo at the beautiful Charlottenburg Palace – once a royal summer residence, today Berlin’s largest and most magnificent palace. In the Neuer Flügel (New Wing), you can view the staterooms and the rococo ballroom known as the Goldene Galerie (Golden Gallery). The Silver Vault includes quite stunning tableware of gold, silver, glass and porcelain displayed on laid tables. Around 100 table services have survived intact, a vivid reminder of the magnificence of dining at court. The impressive display of the remaining pieces of the Prussian crown jewels, complete with the imperial insignias, as well as personal treasures, such as the elaborated designed, exquisite snuffboxes collected by Friedrich the Great, are also well worth seeing. The Porcelain Cabinet in the Old Palace offers a breathtaking collection of the finest blue-and-white porcelain decorating the entire room. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/charlottenburg-palace-old-palace

The grand opening of the brand new home of the Silesian Museum is perhaps the biggest of all of Katowice's recent investment unveilings. The museum’s scope, the quality of the permanent exhibitions and the architectural prowess of the newly adapted subterranean chambers are all equally impressive. https://www.inyourpocket.com/katowice/silesian-museum_137651v

In 1895 the Board of Trustees of the Industrial Museum of North Bohemia chose the project of the Viennese architect Friedrich Ohmann for the construction of a new building. The construction took place between 1897-1898 and it was carried out by the Liberec company of Gustav and Ferdinand Miksch based on the realisation plans drawn up by the Berlin studio Griesbach & Dinklage. http://www.visitliberec.eu/en/kultura-a-zabava/muzea-a-galerie/?view=min&cat=kultura_a_zabava&detail=1206

The East Bohemian Museum of Hradec Králové is considered to be one of the city's most important architectural landmarks, designed by the famous Czech architect, Jan Kotěra. https://eventseeker.com/venue/893250-east-bohemian-museum-hradec-kr%C3%A1lov%C3%A9

Dresden’s Royal Palace was once the hub of power for the Saxon princes and kings. First mentioned in the 14th century as a castle complex, the four-wing palace structure was developed in the 15th century. After it was destroyed by fire in 1701, the palace was reconstructed under Augustus the Strong. After air attacks during the last few months of the Second World War, the palace – with its approximately 500 halls and rooms – once again burned down to its foundations. Most of the valuable interior furnishings were lost. In 1985, reconstruction began on the palace to create a museum complex for the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections). The first museum to move into the Royal Palace was the Kupferstich-Kabinett (Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs); it has been displaying its treasures there since April 2004. The New Green Vault was opened in September 2004. Since September 2006, the Historic Green Vault can once again be admired in its original rooms. Today, the exterior of the Royal Palace is decorated in Neorenaissance style, while the large courtyard of the palace displays Renaissance-style sgraffito paintings. The Hausmann Tower overlooks the whole ensemble, offering a wonderful view of the Old Town. Starting in 2010, after five years of construction, the English Stairway in the Dresden Royal Palace is once again accessible. The Baroque stairway was reconstructed at a cost of four million euros, following its original historic pattern. In the future, it will serve as the main entrance for the museums of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen. The Türckische Cammer (Turkish Chamber) was also opened in March 2010, containing countless small treasures that were not open to the public for more than seventy years. The renovation of the Palace is completed since 2013. https://www.dresden.de/en/tourism/attractions/sights/old_town/royal-palace.php

You simply should not miss the Olomouc castle site situated on the Wenceslas Hill! Right here in 1306, the last Přemyslid, the Czech king Wenceslas III, was assassinated. You can admire the Bishop's Palace with its famous Romanesque windows, the gothic St. Wenceslas Cathedral, today the seat of the Archbishop of Olomouc, or the Archdiocesan Museum founded on the initiative of Pope John Paul II. http://tourism.olomouc.eu/sights/olomouc-castle/en

The Museum of Jan Amos Comenius in Přerov is the oldest museum of its kind in the world. Located in a Renaissance chateau, it presents collections of minerals, reconstructions of school classrooms from the 17th century up to the 1950s and ethnographic exhibitions of the Haná region. https://www.strednimorava-tourism.cz/en/destination/muzeum-komenskeho

Prague’s Jewish Quarter (“Židovské město” in Czech) is one of the most impressive places in the capital of the Czech Republic. Josefov, as the quarter is officially named, is at the same time beautiful and wrathful, due to its complicated history. It used to be the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe, and its Old Jewish Cemetery is the most remarkable of its kind on the continent. Many cities used to have – or still have – the so called “Jewish quarters”, where the Jewish minority lived. Apart from Prague, we can for example name Jerusalem, Seville, or New York. Those quarters were quite often in the form of ghettos. The Jewish quarter of Prague, since 1992 listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is definitely one of the most significant ones and if you are visiting Prague, you should definitely see it. Not only as a reminder of a tragic part of the world’s history, but also for its undeniable beauty and charm. http://www.praguego.com/attractions/jewish-quarter/

Malmo Konsthall was opened in 1975 and is one of the Swedens largest spaces for contemporary art. Architect Klas Anshelm has created an exhibition with great flexibility, generous space and fantastic light. ” A large, low concrete box open on the park and the light of heaven ”, described Anshelm himself his creation. The construction materials are light and simple; concrete, glass, wood and aluminium. Most of the gallery has a roof built as a lattice of 550 light domes. The ceiling height varies. The light well – with higher ceilings – has large sloping skylight north. Klas Anshelm got the idea to construction when visiting the sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s Paris studio. The result is a gallery that is both functional and aesthetic. An exhibition space that the artist with endless. Malmö Konsthall arranges annually a number of exhibitions with an international focus. https://www.konsthall.malmo.se/en/om-malmo-konsthall/

The Moderna Museet Malmö is a branch of the famous Swedish Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm. It is located in a converted former power station, within walking distance from the center of the old town of Malmö. The former power station was built in 1901 as a brick building, the typical industrial architecture of its time. As part of the modernization, the building received an extension with a red-painted steel sheeting facade and in 2009 the Moderna Museet moved into the old power station. The museum is specialized on Scandinavian and international art of the 20th and 21st century. The changing exhibitions throughout the year are attracting visitors from all around the world. The former turbine hall was converted as an exhibition room and covers an area of over 800 square meters. In addition, the museum also has an educational workshop of about 100 square meters. The Moderna Museet is the only Scandinavian museum that features a significant collection of contemporary art of the 20th century. In its possession are works by Dali, Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso. https://www.guidebook-sweden.com/en/guidebook/destination/moderna-museet-malmoe-museum-of-modern-art-in-malmoe

Eric of Pomerania, king of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (at that time a unified kingdom), built a castle on the site now occupied by Malmöhus in 1434. The strategic location was of great importance. From here, the west side of the city could be protected and shipping traffic on the southern part of the Öresund monitored. Malmöhus acquired its present appearance following major reconstruction in the mid 16th century when King Christian III ordered the building of a modern fortress, splendid Renaissance castle and county governor´s residence, all on the one site. Denmark´s coins were minted here in the Middle Ages. Crown Prince Frederick held wild parties here in the 16th century. Prisoners were beheaded in the courtyard in the 19th century. Malmöhus has now been restored in the spirit of the 16th century and is part of the Malmö Museums, the largest museum in southern Sweden. The castle is part of Sweden´s cultural heritage and is managed by the National Property Board. https://malmo.se/Uppleva-och-gora/Besoksmal/Malmo-Museer/Sprak/In-English/Malmohus-Castle.html