The National Museum has 11 branches in Kraków, with this monolithic structure - apparently built over the course of half a century from 1935 to 1989 - being the main administrative branch and landing spot for the institution's most ambitious temporary exhibits. Permanent exhibits include the Gallery of Decorative Arts and the fabulous Gallery of 20th & 21st Century Polish Art, and it's really the latter, in addition to the consistently excellent temporary exhibits, that should lure you here. Located on the museum's top floor, the Gallery of 20th & 21st Century Polish Art gives you a panoramic view of modern Polish art across genres, mediums, trends and movements, including outstanding paintings by Stanislaw Wyspianski, Jacek Malczewski, Jozef Mehoffer, Wojciech Weiss, Zofia Stryjeńska, Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy), Tadeusz Kantor, Maria Jarema, Wojciech Fangor, Wilhelm Sasnal and many others; sculptures by Xawery Dunikowski, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Władysław Hasior; graphics and prints by Jerzy Panek, Mieczysław Wejman, Zbigniew Lutomski, Ryszard Otręba; glass and ceramics by Henryk Albin Tomaszewski, Alina Kalczyńska-Scheiwiller; animated and experimental films by Julian Józef Antoniszczak and Jan Lenica. Though you may not know those names now, art lovers should check it out and take note.

One of Kraków's largest museums, ticket prices vary depending on what's on and how much you want to see. You'd be wise to focus on what you're most interested in, as to see it all would take most of a day. To get the most out of your visit, we recommend spending an extra 7/5zł for an audio guide, which is available in Polish, English, French, German, Russian. Outside a large monument of Stanisław Wyspiański - one of the most important artists of the turn of the 20th century - stands over a public square; inside you'll also find a small shop and cafe.

Average visiting time: 2.5hrs.