Must see in Cracow: TOP 10 Museums
National Museum, Cracow / Jakub Ociepa. Agencja Gazeta
National Museum
This is the oldest national museum in Poland, bringing together a rich collection of Polish and European works of art, as well as works from outside of Europe. Undoubtedly it has a collection belonging to the most important and interesting people not only in Poland but also in Europe. The Museum was founded on October 7, 1879 by a resolution of the City of Krakow, who had provided for the purpose two, then-newly renovated rooms on the first floor of the Cloth Hall. The museum collection, then consisting of a dozen images, was constantly enlarged by numerous donations, subscriptions and gifts, to grow at a tremendous pace. Generously and with a patriotic duty, people have transferred collections of paintings, sculpture, decorative art, prints, coins, old books, manuscripts and family memorabilia which they had collected themselves over the years. With the development of the museum, it received buildings from the founders of the city or private individuals intended for exhibition purposes, so today's museum is not only based in the main building, but also within eight branches, located in historic buildings in the city centre. The basis of the collection are works of art which are Polish or Polish related, and there are interesting biographical museums specifically commemorating Jan Matejko, Stanisław Wyspiański, Josef Mehoffer and the composer Karol Szymanowski. The Museum also manages the Czartoryski Museum and Library, which are owned by the Princes Foundation at the National Museum in Krakow.