Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews is located in the former Warsaw Ghetto. Word Polin in Hebrew means “Poland” or “rest here”. It relates to legend about arrival of the first Jews to Poland. Rainer Mahlamaki and also Ilmari Lahdelma designed museum building. They are Finnish architects. They created it as a postmodern structure in glass, copper and concrete. In addition, in 2016, Polin Museum won the European Museum of the Year Award.
The History
In 1995, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland hit on the idea to create museum dedicated to the history of Polish Jews. In the same year, Warsaw City Council picked the land for this purpose. They choosed Muranów district which back in the day was a Jewish quarter and Warsaw Ghetto location.
In 2005, that Association established a private-public partnership with the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. In the same year, that Ministry launched architectural competition to design museums building.
On June 30, 2005, jury picked winners. Four years later, they officialy inaugurated buildings construction.
After 33 months project was compleated. It costed 320 million zloty.
The Polin Museum opened on April 19, 2013. It was the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. At the beggining only temporary exhibitions were available. 18 months later, on October 28, 2014 the Grand Opening took place. From that time, tourists can also visit the Core Exhibition.
Museum Sightseeing
There is the Core Exhibition as well as temporary exhibitions.
The Core Exhibition:
You will see more than 1000 years of the Polish Jews history. Inside, you will find eight galleries. Galleries will show you phases of Jews history. You will see social, religious as well as political diversity of Polis Jews.
Visitors will see artefacts, paintings, reconstructions, interactive installations, video projections, sounds as well as words.
Galleries:
- Forest
- First Encounters (10th century – 1507)
- Paradisus Iudaeorum (1569 – 1648)
- The Jewish Town (1648 – 1772)
- Encounters with Modernity (1772 – 1914)
- On the Jewish Street (1914 – 1939)
- Holocaust (1939 – 1944)
- Postwar Years (1944 – present)
Warsaw Polin Museum Opening Hours
- Monday and Saturday:
-
- From 9.00 am to 8.00 pm
- Last entry to the Core Exhibition: 7.00 pm
- Last entry to the temporary exhibition: 7.30 pm
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday:
- From 9.00 am to 6.00 pm
- Last entry to the Core Exhibition: 5.00 pm
- Last entry to the temporary exhibition: 5.30 pm
- Tuesday: CLOSED
Polin Museum in Warsaw Tickets
On Thursdays the Core Exhibition as well as temporary exhibitions are free. Core Exhibition tickets:
- Normal ticket: 27 PLN
- Discount ticket: 17 PLN
- Family ticket: 60 PLN
- Group ticket (10+ people): 15 PLN
- Audioguide: 10 PLN per person
Temporary Exhibition tickets:
- Normal ticket: 15 PLN
- Discount ticket: 10 PLN
- Family ticket: 70 PLN (temporary as well as core exhibition)
- Group ticket (10+ people): 10 PLN
- Guide: 200 PLN
Tours to Polin Museum in Warsaw
If you are in Warsaw and you want to visit Polin Museum join our private guided tour! You will not only have private tour but also skip the line ticket! That is very useful because many people are interested in visiting this museum and tickets are often sold out. Your guide will show you the museum and also tell you about Jews history. He will also answer to all of your questions. There are two versions of this tour to choose from:
- 2 hours version
During 2 hours option you will visit the Polin Museum with private guide. He will tell you about Jews story as well as everything you will be interested in.
- 4 hours version
During 4 hours option you will not only visit the Polin Museum but also take a walk through former Warsaw Ghetto areas. You can join both options of the tour from Wednesday to Monday. Tour starts at 10.45 am or 3.45 pm. Pick the best day as well as time and join our amazing tour! You can book the tour here!