Museums in Poland
I assumed, based on our experience at a prior post, that museums were off limits, as there was not much English used. But in Poland, we have found it to be quite the opposite!
Museums here are outstanding- interactive exhibits, fantastic displays, educational but not overwhelming. Most offer online ticket purchases and audio guides- I recommend both, although we often purchase at the moment of entry. Purchasing tickets online allows access to the calendar, showing which days are closed- note that there is a FREE opportunity for every day of the week in Warsaw!
There are occasions where English-only speakers may not get the full experience of a local speaker, but overall, I have personally been very impressed by the museums we have visited- and, in fact, am now encouraged to visit more of them, because I am so impressed!
I have recently visited the Rynek Underground Museum, the Cathedral Museum, both in Kraków and Malbork Castle, as well as Warsaw favorites Royal Castle in Warsaw, Wilanów Palace, POLIN Museum: The History of Jews in Poland, National Museum of Warsaw, which houses many branches around Warsaw (see Nieborów Palace and Park Arkadii - gorgeous! One hour drive), Warsaw Uprising Museum, and the Museum of Life under Communism, which turned out to be one of my most favorites! This little museum (90 minutes is plenty!) has informed my life in Warsaw in so many different ways since I first visited.
Of the museums listed above, decent English is provided. The signage in Life Under Communism and the Rynek Underground Museum is in English, while Royal Castle, Wilanów Palace and POLIN Museum have audio guides and signage in English. Our guests commented on the amazing geo-located audio guides of Malbork Castle- a fair amount of information, told in an interesting way, prompted by your exact location within the castle.
Wawel Castle is a different organization than Wawel Cathedral. The Castle often holds temporary exhibits, so depending on the exhibits chosen, you may not see the entire interior. Wawel Cathedral (tickets sold across from the entrance or online) allows a tour even up through the bell tower (tiny, narrow staircases!), but there is little signage in English. Buy the audio guide!
Warsaw Uprising Museum is designed to tell the story of each of the 63 days that the Home Army held out. The museum is fascinating to see, and has an interesting layout- but can be overwhelming in the amount of information presented. But where else will you ever get to walk through a clean sewer?!
Have questions about planning a tour or trip? I can help! I am a Travel Advisor, working with TravelAble LLC, which specializes in assisting clients with extra accessibility requests. We work with wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and sensory rooms, and providers that offer these services, but also plan trips with low accessibility needs. Send me an email hillary@travelablevacations.com or visit our website to learn more- I am happy to help with any or all of your trip design!
