The first museum at Wilanów was opened in 1805 by the palace’s owner at the time, Stanisław Kostka Potocki. The current museum, which takes up a substantial portion of the palace’s interior, comes in two parts. Having bought your ticket, enter the wing on the right and descend the stairs. Head through a small room containing some old royal coaches, up the stairs into the first part of the museum - The Polish Portrait Gallery. Wander through room after room of portraits of the rich and the powerful from the 16-19th century, and some fascinating Polish coffin portraits. If portraits are your thing you will find this very interesting, though the lack of descriptions, and in some cases even the name of the people portrayed, is frustrating.
 

Downstairs you will find yourself in the Wilanów Palace Residence. Featuring residential rooms, suits of armour, Etruscan vases, magnificent frescoes, an exceedingly rare 18th-century glass grandfather clock and even a private chapel - there is much here to admire. The central part of the lower floor is the most impressive. It is here that you will find the private apartments of King Jan III Sobieski and his wife, while the wings house the apartments of the subsequent owners of the palace.
 

For all the latest information on permanent/temporary exhibitions and to purchase tickets in advance, visit the Wilanów Palace website. Average visiting time: 2hrs.