A visit to the Galacia Jewish Museum reveals a tapestry of photographs that together depict the colourful lives of Krakow’s Jewish community. Showing important cultural sites, moving Holocaust locations and plenty of modern depictions of the people of Krakow, the museum is a great place to learn about the local customs. Get your body moving as you learn Jewish dances or sit back and watch a concert at the museum.
The project of photojournalist Chris Schwarz, the Galacia Jewish Museum was built within a former factory in 2004 with the aim of commemorating the traditional Jewish ways of life seen throughout the city. Rather than depicting only the past, a large part of the museum focuses on modern life and 1,000 photos taken during the 1990s show Krakow in a contemporary light. Coupling a visit to the Galacia Jewish Museum with some of the Krakow’s historic Jewish sites paints a great cross-section of the city.
A set route leads you through the five chronological exhibits. Understand the background to today’s community in the historical exhibits before you move through to a series of images that address the Holocaust. Grasp the scale and horror of the events through a series of haunting photographs. The last two rooms show life for the Jewish people in Krakow today.
An on-site bookshop is a great place to learn more about Poland’s Jewish community, while the museum café specialises in traditional Jewish cuisine.
A number of cultural events are hosted at the museum throughout the year, including concerts, talks, films and educational sessions. A program can be found on the museum’s website.
The Galacia Jewish Museum is located just south of the Old Town near the historic Remuh Cemetery. A bus and tram stop can be found close by, but the museum can also easily be reached on foot. The museum is closed on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. An admission fee applies.
