After years of preparation, the Oskar Schindler Enamelled Goods Factory (to give it its full name) has finally re-opened to the public as a world-class museum. The story of Oskar Schindler and his employees is one which has been well-known since the book and film by Thomas Keneally and Steven Spielberg (whose film Schindler’s List was shot almost entirely in Kraków). The discussions on whether to open and how to present the story in a museum lasted many years and it began to look like the project would never come to fruition. The Historical Museum of the City of Krakow did eventually manage to secure the derelict property which once housed Schindler’s factory and the relevant permissions with the new museum opened on June 10th, 2010.

While the story of Oskar Schindler and his workers is now covered in detail on the original site, the new museum casts the city of Kraków in the main role of its permanent exhibition titled, ‘Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945.’ Individual histories of Kraków’s wartime inhabitants guide visitors through the exhibit which covers the war of 1939, Kraków’s role as the seat of the General Government, everyday life under occupation, the fate of the Jews and the city’s underground resistance using vast archival documents, photos, radio and film recordings, period artefacts and dynamic multimedia installations. A separate section of the factory is reserved for film screenings, lectures and other cultural events, while a controversial contemporary art museum under separate ownership on the same site finally opened in spring 2011.

The development of the factory into a world-class educational and cultural site is great news not only for tourists, but also for Podgórze and the healing process of the city itself as it reconciles one of the most painful chapters of its history. A must-visit, this is one of the most fascinating museums in the entire country and with that in mind we recommend that you reserve at least two hours if you want to see everything. Note that visiting groups need to book in advance using the museum website.

Admission 17/14zł. Guided tours in English for groups of over 15 people, 18zł per person. Mon free for permanent exhibitions.

Schindler's Factory comments Add Yours

• Ivan Ash 17 March 2012
  My wife and I visited the museum in September 2011. We previously had visited the Holocaust exhibit in the War Museum in London and earlier in September several in the Baltic states. The Schindler Museum was one of the most moving poignant experiences on our trip. We later visited Auschwitz-Birkenau a similar experience but the Schindler Museum was the peak of our trip.