This 17th century granary on formerly-forgotten Sikorski Square is dedicated to the Kraków National Museum's large collection of works by, or related to, Stanisław Wyspiański (1869-1907). One of Kraków's most important and versatile artists, Wyspiański was a playwright, painter, poet and interior designer whose indelible visual legacy can still be seen around town in various church interiors and stained glass windows. This museum displays many of the artist's sketches, drafts, portraits, designs and other materials related to his legacy, including his personal books and first editions for which he did illustrations. Due to the small amount of exhibition space, and the fact that many of the materials cannot be exposed to light for long periods of time without being compromised, the museum changes its exhibits at regular intervals to display lesser-known and more intimate works amongst the larger installations.
While the chance to see the designs of some of Wyspiański's unrealised works - particularly a model of his ambitious reimagining of Wawel Castle - is intriguing, most of Wyspiański's best work is in situ elsewhere, as VR headsets demonstrate by giving you a virtual tour of the interiors of Kraków's Franciscan Church. It's better in real life, and hopefully this museum will inspire people to visit other Wyspiański sites around Kraków. On its own, however, this branch of the MNK is entirely skippable for any but the most ardent Wyspiański acolytes. Is that you?
Average visiting time: 30mins.
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