Historical Museum of Kraków

Historical Museum of Kraków a.k.a. Historical Museum of the City of Kraków ( _pl. Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa ) at the Krzysztofory Palace in Kraków, Poland, opened in 1899 as the division of the Old Records Office of Kraków. It was not until 1945 that the present-day museum was granted the status of an independent institution.

The Museum's main location is a Baroque Krzysztofory Palace, owned between 1640-1649 by the Crown Court Marshal Adam Kazanowski who also commissioned its construction. The palace was designed by joining three Gothic houses in the Main Square. [ [http://www.mhk.pl/english/oddzialy_krzysztofory.php The "Pod Krzysztofory" Palace] ] [ [http://www3.oag.com/Cities/Detail?city=116&cat=26&item=225875 The Krzysztofory Palace] ] The first major upgrade of the palace was done by the architect Jakub Solari in 1682-1684. One of its unique features is the fine stucco work by Italian architect Baldassare Fontana working in Kraków at the time.

The Historical Museum is made up of several divisions, which preserve and display artifacts of the history of the city, including the history of Jews: at the Old Synagogue, the history of the theatre: at the House under the Cross, and history of the Shooting Fraternity: at the Celestat.

The Museum holdings include sixteenth through twentieth century city maps, paintings, prints, photographs, guild objects and works by Kraków artists and artisans, as well as portraits of nobility from the sixteenth to the twentieth century; fourteenth through twentieth century weapons; a collection of sixteenth through twentieth century clocks; famous Kraków nativity scenes ("szopka"); artifacts related to theatre; Judaica; items commemorative of the Polish uprisings of the nineteenth century and of World War I and II.

The Museum houses a permanent exhibit of the History and Culture of Kraków, a collection of the militaria (projectiles, firearms, defense and sharp weapons), clocks and watches. The Town Hall Tower in the Main Market Square is the venue of the Photographs of the Market Square exhibition.

Since 1999, under the Museum's jurisdiction is the Barbakan, one of the best known examples of medieval defense structures in Poland, made accessible on the inside each summer.

Museum Divisions

* Town Hall Tower
* Barbican ("Barbakan")
* [http://www.kasprzyk.demon.co.uk/www/Krakow2.html#Szolayski%20Museum Szołayski Museum]
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/museums.htm The Silesian House]
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/museums2.htm Under the Cross Manor] (History of Theatre)
* Jewish Museum at the Old Synagogue
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/museums2.htm Hipolit Manor]
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/museums2.htm Celestat] , the Residence of Sharpshooters’ Society
* [http://www.krakow.pl/en/kultura/instytucje/?INS_TYP=4&INS_ID=224 Artistic Salon of the District of Zwierzyniec]
* [http://www.krakow-info.com/museums2.htm Museum of National Remembrance] at "Under the Eagle Pharmacy"
* History of Nowa Huta [http://www.mhk.pl/english/oddzialy_nhuta.php Museum]

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Main branch location: Main Market Square ("Rynek Główny") 35, Kraków

:Opening hours: Thursday 11am-6pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and the second Tuesday of each month 9am-3pm; Closed: Monday and every other Tuesday, and the second Saturday of the month.__NOTOC__

References

ee also

* Culture of Kraków

External links

* [http://www.mhk.pl/english/index.php Museum's Home page]
* [http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/in_mu_historyczne_krakow Article about the Museum at www.culture.pl]
* [http://www.jewishkrakow.net: www.JewishKrakow.net] Information on the Old Synagogue as well as information on Kazimierz, Krakow's Jewish quarter