The building of a former prison now contains an insight into the earliest history of Małopolska and transports us into the fascinating world of ancient Egypt.
The most important exhibit, presented in Kraków as early as in 1857, is a stone monument of Światowid, discovered in the River Zbrucz in Podolia. The figure of the Slavic deity with four faces is the symbol of the Kraków museum, which made the former Prison of St Michael its home. The history of the building is presented in the cellars. The main exhibitions, however, are those devoted to the ancient and medieval history of Małopolska, the Peruvian collection of a 19th-century explorer Władysław Kluger, and the exhibition of Egyptian sarcophagi and mummies. The exhibition entitled Gods of Ancient Egypt transports us into the fascinating world of Egyptian beliefs and customs thanks to the original exhibits and presentation of research which Kraków archaeologists carried out on the subject. The museum also organises temporary exhibitions, while its beautiful gardens – which are open to the public – are a backdrop for the summer Archaeological Picnic.
Tickets: normal PLN 16, concessions PLN 12 (permannet exhibitions), admission free on Tuesday
