The Warsaw Tech Museum is a Polish museum of technology housing a collection of post-war collection of Polish and international hardware. Let’s do a day visit to the museum right in the heart of Warsaw Poland.
Moreover, the Tech museum is also known as the Palace of Culture & Science (PKiN). The museum is an occupant in the Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki). The 237-meter tall building is a notable high-rise building in central Warsaw, Poland.
A modern palace
Also, despite being named a palace, the building is a modern one. It was constructed from in 1952 to 1955 post war. The Palace is the second tallest building in Poland and the 6th-tallest building in the European Union and one of the tallest on the European continent. Also, this is considering Warsaw does not have much tall buildings in the city to begin with. The Palace does look and possibly took inspiration to the Empire State Building. At night the building is lit in multiple coloured lights. Notably, since 2007, it has been enlisted in the Registry of Objects of Cultural Heritage.
Furthermore, on top of the museum, the palace is home to other various public and cultural institutions such as cinemas, theatres, libraries, sports clubs, university faculties, and authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Interestingly, the neighbourhood is quite buzzing with activities, there is even a Hard Rock Cafe across the street. Conveniently, the palace is located in central Warsaw by the Metro Centrum station.
Telling a story through old equipment
Moreover, a central rotunda lobby greets you past the ticketing counter which is also connected to guest service rooms like coat rooms and toilets. Moreover, I find the tech museum is simply a collection of post-war era technology. Also, the Tech museum section of the building spans 3 floors.
Interesting items includes relatively modern items by “museum” standards such as 80s personal computers and transistor-based televisions.
Here, you can find a collection of household appliances, telescopes, old black and white TV, phones and computers, old film cameras, cinema reels. At times, the galleries do feel tad like a storeroom of old outdated electronics equipment.
Additionally, the galleries are motivated largely by Poland’s industrial past, such as textile industry, printing presses and mining. Also, there is a section dedicated to earth minerals and the mining industry, with several boring and earth equipment on display.
A modeller paradise
Furthermore, there is also a vast gallery devoted to space flight and commercial aviation. Aircraft model room, civilian and military vehicles, planes, aircraft and model ships. I found the model gallery a pretty neat gallery.
Unlike typical huge European tech museums like the Duxford Aviation museum in the UK, and the German Museum of technology in Berlin, the Warsaw tech museum does not full actual planes, ships and military vehicles, or room space to actually house them.
Moreover, in place, you can find beautifully-detailed scale models made from commercial plastic model kits. It also allows the showcase of the local model kit building scene, rather cool.
Additionally, closely linked with the aviation section and hobby theme, is a gallery dedicated to remote RC parts, gliders and model planes.
Also, the space and astrology sector is a pretty neat gallery too, with a collection of space models, telescopes, as well as life sized models of several man-made space exploration modules (e.g. US lunar modules) as well as a Russian sputnik satellite, the first low orbit satellite which started the space race.
PiwigoPress shortcode attribute "id" is invalid: id '36318S' is not a positive number
Astronomy
Transportation gallery
The personal transportation gallery hall is tad an eccentric one too. With a curation of bicycles, human powered transport, classic motorcycles, vintage cars and engines. Items includes BMW first bike and motor cars. There is also a cut-out model of a Russian Lada and a wooden plane possibly inspired by the Wright flyer.
Additionally, the museum is one of learning through showcase and demonstration. There was a trade exhibition of unmanned aerial vehicles during my visit. You can browse exhibits set up by various private companies. Also, a flight demonstration using a large 6 propeller drone was in progress at the museum’s central rotunda lobby.
All in all, you are good for the Warsaw Tech Museum for about 2-3 hours tops. It is not a large museum, but it is jammed pack with many items. Entry to the Palace of Culture & Science- Tech Museum costs 12 PLN per adult. Also, the museum is open 8.30am to 4.30pm daily. One to check out if you have half an afternoon to spare when you are downtown exploring Warsaw and the Warsaw city center. It is a great place for kids and budding engineers alike to awe at all the mechanical and electronics hardware on display.
