A fun morning at the Banksy Museum in Krakow.
We headed to Poland on more of a cultural visit, before heading to Auschwitz.
However, after an hour exploring the Banksy Museum in Krakow, our trip was brightened up immediately.
Enjoying world class quirky art is an awesome way to spend any morning!
This blog explains how you can visit the new museum, and some of the art you can expect to see.
Learning about the meanings behind each masterpiece was my favourite part.
Krakow’s Banksy Museum is located close to the centre of the city, and is very cheap to enter, therefore it should be on every visitor’s Krakow itinerary!
Let’s start with some practical information for your visit.
One of Banksy’s iconic pieces.
How to visit the Banksy Museum in Krakow?
Visiting the Banksy Museum in Krakow is straightforward as it is located conveniently between Krakow's Main Square and the historic Kazimierz district, about 1 km from St. Mary’s Basilica and 2 km from Wawel Castle.
Banksy Museum, ul. Berka Joselewicza 21, 31-031 Kraków.
Krakow is an easy city to navigate with many attractions close to the main square, along with reliable and cheap public transport.
By public transport.
Trams are the best public transport option to travel around Krakow.
The museum is located at Berka Joselewicza 21, easily accessible via Krakow's tram network, with the closest tram stops including Miodowa or Starowiślna serviced by lines 3, 9, 19, and 24.
By walking.
Main Square (Rynek Główny): The museum is about a 15-minute walk southeast.
Kazimierz District: Depending on your starting point, it’s a short 5-10 minute walk.
Banksy Museum Krakow Opening Hours:
The museum is open daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with the last entry at 6:15 PM.
If you want to avoid crowds, visiting on weekday mornings is what I would recommend.
Entrance Costs:
Adults - 55 PLN (£10).
Students, seniors, and children under 18 - 40 PLN (£7.50).
Children under 9 years old - Free.
You can purchase your Banksy Museum tickets in advance here.
The entrance to Banksy Museum in Krakow.
Who is Banksy?
There has been mystery around who Banksy actually is since his work first made an appearance in the early 1990’s, with full global recognition for his art a decade later.
As one of the most famous graffiti artists in the world, his sometimes controversial artwork usually covers themes with deep meanings, or includes global situations.
A deep meaning behind this wall.
His distinctive stencilling technique allows for rapid execution, enabling him to produce impactful, large-scale works in public spaces before their discovery. Over time, Banksy’s anonymity has only added to his allure, making his art a global phenomenon and fuelling speculation about his identity.
Through using temporary exhibits and ever-changing installations across the globe, he keeps the intrigue very high, ensuring his art feels fresh, relevant, and thought-provoking with every new display.
UFO themed artwork.
Banksy’s Krakow Art Experience.
The beginning of 2024 brought Banksy’s world renowned art to the Polish city of Krakow.
Across 3 floors of a one thousand square metres space, every wall has been turned into a canvas for the works of Banksy to be creatively showcased.
We found a wander around the museum to be both educational and fun, with his works and reasoning behind it explained.
The Banksy experience allows visitors to explore at their own pace, and to absorb the artists distinct style, which has won worldwide attention.
There is a nice mix of 3D/sculpture recreations, along with 2 dimensional pieces.
The vibes of the musuem remind of Dead Chicken Alley in Berlin, and Leake Street Arches in london.
The museum showcases over 150 works by Banksy and other international street artists, housed in a historic 19th-century factory, which we found added to the street artist’s unique vibe.
I have added my favourite pieces below, so you know what to expect when you visit!
Banksy’s distinctive vibe can be felt throughout the musuem.
Some of his early work - The Mild Mild West.
Banksy’s Mild Mild West, painted in 1998 over three days in broad daylight, stands as a symbol of rebellion in Bristol’s Stokes Croft.
The mural was created in response to police crackdowns on unlicensed raves, including a notorious New Year’s Eve raid in 1997/98.
Depicting a relaxed teddy bear tossing a Molotov cocktail at riot police, it captures the spirit of defiance against authority and commercialisation
This is one of my favourite works of art in Krakow, and it remains a cultural icon, showcasing the enduring power of street art as a voice for the people.
One of Bansky’s earlier works.
Kissing coppers.
On our visit to the Banksy Museum in Krakow, it was our first time seeing the ‘Kissing Coppers’ artwork, despite it being one of Banksy’s most famous pieces.
Apparently it first appeared in 2004 on the wall of the Prince Albert Pub in Brighton, UK.
Two decades later and it is still drawing intrigue into the exact meaning behind it, with it depicting two police officers locked in a passionate kiss, flipping the traditional notion of authority on its head.
Over the years, it has been seen as a critique of authority and conformity, and is another example of Banksy’s political commentary and his ability to provoke thought through humour and visual impact.
Banksy’s famous ‘kissing coppers’.
Anti-immigration bird mural.
Another political piece which has been featured in Banksy’s exhibitions for over a decade.
Banksy’s Anti-Immigration Birds mural, created in 2014 in Clacton-on-Sea, humorously tackled anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK.
It shows five native birds holding protest signs like “Migrants Not Welcome” aimed at a colourful migratory swallow, making fun of the ridiculousness of being unfair or mean to immigrants.
The mural coincided with a local election and debates on immigration but was removed by the council after being deemed “offensive,” ironically reinforcing the intolerance it criticised.
This piece is a prime example of Banksy’s knack for sparking debate through powerful yet straightforward visual metaphors.
Anti-immigration mural.
The Queen as Ziggy Stardust.
This Banksy art looked familiar as soon as I saw it!
Banksy’s Queen as Ziggy Stardust is a mural from 2012 in Bristol, UK, blending the image of Queen Elizabeth II with David Bowie’s iconic Ziggy Stardust lightning bolt.
It appeared during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and is thought to be Banksy’s mix of a cultural nod and his trademark rebellious commentary.
The piece contrasts the monarchy’s formality with Bowie’s edgy, free-spirited persona, offering a playful take on how traditions and pop culture intersect.
The famous street artist seems to enjoy gimmicks of the Royal Family!
The Queen as Ziggy Stardust.
Pulp Fiction with a twist.
Pulp Fiction by Banksy is a humorous street art piece created in 2002 near London's Old Street tube station.
The mural recreates the iconic scene from Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction, where the characters played by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson point firearms. In Banksy's twist, their guns are replaced with bright yellow bananas.
The art description states that the bananas are a parody of the threatening nature of the original scene, and this humorous approach softens the seriousness of the original imagery, while critiquing the glamorisation of weapons and violence.
Pulp Fiction with a twist.
Queen Vic.
Next we have one of Banksy’s most recognisable and boldest pieces of artwork.
Banksy’s Queen Victoria is a bold and attention-grabbing piece that mixes humour with a message, with the artwork, set on a bright red background, shows Queen Victoria in a surprising and risqué pose, jokingly referred to as “queening.”
This cheeky design challenges ideas about tradition, power, and sexuality, pushing the limits of what’s seen as normal in art.
Banksy has recurring anti-establishment themes in his art, particularly some critiques of the monarchy.
You can see by this piece that Banksy is bold, humorous, and unapologetically irreverent, in his attempts to create thought provoking artwork!
His controversial Queen Vic artwork.
Some more fun artwork.
There is a wide variety of themes in the other 100+ pieces of art, which shows that Banksy has a strong opinion on most matters, and is creative enough to paint his thoughts through humorous pictures.
If you spend extra time reading the meaning behind each piece, you will notice that a lot of thought goes into every single piece of artwork he creates.
This attention to detail and layered commentary turns each piece into more than just art, it becomes a conversation starter, challenging viewers to reflect on societal issues through a lens of wit and provocation.
Visiting in a small group is a great way to discuss Banksy’s art while you are in a thought provoking moment.
Will the art in the Krakow Banksy Museum only be temporary?
The Banksy Museum in Krakow operates as a curated exhibition rather than a permanent collection, meaning the art on display is largely temporary.
Featuring over 150 pieces by Banksy alongside works from other international street artists, the museum offers a constantly evolving experience.
This approach ensures that visitors are treated to fresh and dynamic displays that reflect the ever-changing themes and trends within the world of street art, making each visit unique and engaging.
While you are in Krakow, how about Auschwitz?
If you haven’t already planned a trip to Auschwitz during your stay in Poland, then you should do.
Official tours often head to Auschwitz and Birkenau from Krakow, and include hotel pick up and drop offs, along with a guided walk around both historic sites.
It has very different vibes to other activities in Krakow as you would expect, however, I feel that every one who is visiting Poland should visit the site, to pay their respects, and learn more information about what happened in the concentration camp.
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