The National Museum was established by the Krakow City Council by a resolution of October 7, 1879.
The museum has a rich collection of works of Polish, European and non-European art, which makes it one of the most important and interesting collections not only in Poland, but in the world. At the beginning of the institution's existence, the city of Krakow donated two then renovated rooms on the first floor of the Cloth Hall as exhibition rooms for the museum. At the beginning, the museum collection, consisting of a dozen or so paintings, was constantly enlarged by numerous records, donations and gifts, developing at a tremendous pace. The priceless collection consists of works of crafts and art from different times and from different regions of the world, but the basis of the museum's collections are works of Polish art or related to Poland, such as Czara Włocławska, Madonna of Krużlowa, Torches of Nero by Henryk Siemiradzki, Frenzy of Exultation by Władysław Podkowiński, Girl with chrysanthemums by Olga Boznańska and many others. A characteristic feature of the Krakow museum is the existence of biographical museums in its organizational structure, commemorating the most outstanding and selected artists of Krakow: Jan Matejko, Józef Mehoffer, Stanisław Wyspiański, as well as the composer, Karol Szymanowski.
- 1.9 km from the Hotel, 23 minutes on foot
