Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius

Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius

Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius
4.5
Architectural Buildings • History Museums
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10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
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About
First founded in 1364, this integral part of Krakow life has many distinguished alumni including distinguished Polish intellectuals, political leaders and well-known international figures like Nicolaus Copernicus and Pope John Paul II. The Collegium Maius is the oldest surviving building of the university.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Stare Miasto
See what travelers are saying
  • Neil K
    Liverpool, United Kingdom616,525 contributions
    Beautiful and historic building
    One of the oldest universities in the world is the Jagiellonian University aka as the University Of Krakow. The university is located in the centre of the city and comprises 15 faculties with over 4.000 academics teaching upto 40.000 students ,noted illumni include Nicolaus Copernicus,Jan Kochanoski,King John III,Sobieski,Stanislaw Len and many other well known former students . The grounds the faculties are set in are wonderful and the buildings are amazing ,it's most definitely well worth checking out if you're in the area,a good starting point is Ulica Jagiellonska.
    Visited August 2022
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 12, 2022
  • MAP12
    New Orleans, Louisiana526 contributions
    I'd say this is a hidden gem
    The courtyard can be entered free of charge. At 9am, 11am, 1pm or 3pm, a 14th-century replica clock chimes with medieval characters marching through. The museum itself is missed by many. The entrance is above the courtyard and it does have a fee. You can do it as a self-guided tour if you have less than 5 people or a daily tour can be booked in advance. Definitely worth seeing.
    Visited May 2022
    Written June 10, 2022
  • susangHK2015
    Hong Kong, China39 contributions
    Don't miss the 1510 Globe
    This is a fabulous museum. It's a timed entry, and then you can go through at your own pace. It's not huge, but it's fascinating. Don't miss the tiny globe from 1510 with the first representation of the Americas. The actual globe is in the Copernicus room, in the glass cabinet, and there is also a model that is much bigger and easier to see.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 2, 2023
  • starlightShanghai
    Victoria, Canada3,642 contributions
    What some visitors may not realise ....
    Architecture, artefacts, and ambience! The Collegium Maius has them all. The beautiful Collegium Maius, with a history dating back to the year 1400, is one of my favourite places on the planet! The small, inner courtyard, alone, is a treat for the eyes: vaulted arcades, a central 16th-century well, and red brick walls. And, in one corner, there's a tiny garden with a young tree just sprouting its first leaves of Spring. There's a special clock over the museum entrance. At 9 a.m. daily, the clock doors open and display a row of moving figures. These figures represent people connected with the history of the university, and they move to tune of various melodies. There's a 'wraparound' porch accessible by either of two staircases leading up to it - and to the museum - from the courtyard. The museum entrance is under the huge clock. Visits to the museum are by guided tour only, and I must have really lucked out with the great guide I had. (Never caught her name, but a real charmer with tons of information about every aspect of the complex.) Within the museum - a library, a common room, a treasury, and an assembly room. Some of the displays are in different textures and with Braille notes, for those who are visually impaired. The treasury holds artefacts that include the instruments that Copernicus used when he was a student here. Great art and lush furnishings are also on display. Special academic events still take place in the assembly room. There's a huge portrait in the assembly room of Pope John Paul II, one of the university's most illustrious graduates. What many visitors may not realise is that although the museum is closed on Sundays, the courtyard is not! In fact, one of my many return visits to this beautiful complex was on a Sunday shortly after 8:30 a.m. I had the entire courtyard to myself in which to just sit back and soak up the surroundings. At 9:00 a.m., I even had the 'clock show' all to myself! The museum requires a guided tour (included in the price of admission), whereas the courtyard does not. Check the Collegium Maius website for additional information. This is a great place for anyone who has a real appreciation of art, architecture, or history!
    Visited April 2016
    Traveled solo
    Written April 23, 2016
  • ken j
    Manalapan, New Jersey880 contributions
    High point of our visit to Krakow
    Take the tour of the museum. The long English tour (much better than the short) is at 1 every day. This is not to be missed for anyone with any interest in science and history (my wife is a science teacher). You have to book a tour with a guide, who leads you through amazing preserved rooms full of medieval things. It has artifacts from Copernicus and the first globe with America on it, as well as paintings from masters. An incredible collection dating from 1400.
    Visited July 2014
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 29, 2014
  • Brett W
    Anchorage, Alaska34 contributions
    A great tour... If you know what you are doing!
    First of all it is hard to find this place as there is really nothing announcing it. Then you go in the courtyard and try to find the place to buy tickets (all the signs pointed the wrong way when we visited! The ticket counter is directly across the courtyard). But the real trick is to know to show up as close to 10 am when they open and buy tickets for the 1 pm tour. This tour is twice as long as the normal tour and takes you through the scientific halls of the museum. Only 15 tickets are sold for this tour as opposed to the 45 or so crammed into the short tour. Seeing all of the fascinating relicts so up close and personal is a rare treat and you really feel privileged to participate in the experience. Truly a hidden gem for the patient and determined traveler.
    Visited October 2013
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 26, 2013
  • CalBristol
    Weston super Mare, United Kingdom2,130 contributions
    A fascinating and historic University
    The short tour takes you around the historic and beautiful rooms of the university showing you the Library, Dining Room, Treasury and one of the original Lecture Halls. The guide (presumably a student) was knowledgeable and had a sense of humour! The collection of artefacts (including instruments used by Copernicus) are very interesting. You are only allowed to go around the University on a guided tour and you need to purchase your ticket in advance from the ticket office just to the left of the main entrance; the tour is on the first floor and there are stairs to climb to start the tour.
    Visited December 2011
    Written December 18, 2011
  • fsage
    11 contributions
    Tour Jaggelonian University where Copernicus studied.
    The old university is one site that brings the longevity of Polish culture and intellectual history to the forefront. The West has forgotten what a considerable European power Poland used to be, before the Tsar of Russia, the Russian revolutionary communists, the Nazis and the Soviets laid claim over most of 100 years in recent history, treating Poles as, at best, second-class citizens until nearly 1990. This site can help us take a broader, longer view and see the culture beneath our stereoptype. You'll learn that this university was originally funded by a late-medieval queen in the Jaggelonia family, from her own wealth. It is the university where Copernicus first studied. It's not easy to find; it's on a narrow street in the old town, with a tiny sign, but it's worth the search. Even sitting in the inner courtyard brings a sense of Polish history. But I decided to return to take the tour on the last morning of my short visit to Krakow, and it's the place there that most stays in my mind. FS
    Written November 21, 2009
  • midway42
    Georgia3,057 contributions
    Very interesting and worth a visit.
    The entrance to Collegium Maius is a bit tricky to find. It is located just off Jagiellonska Street and easy to walk past if you’re not looking for it. Once inside, the ticket office/souvenir store is located on your left just before the entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard is impressive unto itself and I believe open at all times. Entry to the Main Collection of is by guided tour only. I arrived a little after 10:00 with an English tour following at 11:20. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Inside is a virtual treasure trove of artifacts centered (pun intended) around astronomy and, obviously, Nicolas Copernicus who evidently studied here from 1491 to 1495. A brass Arabian astrolabe from 1054 (!) along with the first globe to show the new continent of America (next to… Madagascar) from 1510 are some of several highlights. And don’t miss the hourly chimes of the courtyard clock as little figurines associated with the University stroll past! This is a great way to spend a couple hours, highly recommended.
    Written September 27, 2009
  • 1066girl
    Bristol, United Kingdom585 contributions
    Seek it out!
    I visited Collegium Maius back in July 2007 after being told by a friend that it was worth a visit. I got the sense that it wasn't a site on the normal tourist map. I took a English tour, but it wasn't obvious where we had to go for the tour. The tour guide was so knowledgable. He described the place in such detail and presented it all in such an interesting way and he could answer any questions that were posed. We were taken through a series of rooms which were all beautifully decorated and full of artifacts. This place is very interesting and one of my favourite things I saw in Krakow.
    Written June 8, 2009
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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Neil K
Liverpool, UK616,525 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
One of the oldest universities in the world is the Jagiellonian University aka as the University Of Krakow.
The university is located in the centre of the city and comprises 15 faculties with over 4.000 academics teaching upto 40.000 students ,noted illumni include Nicolaus Copernicus,Jan Kochanoski,King John III,Sobieski,Stanislaw Len and many other well known former students .
The grounds the faculties are set in are wonderful and the buildings are amazing ,it's most definitely well worth checking out if you're in the area,a good starting point is Ulica Jagiellonska.
Written August 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MAP12
New Orleans, LA526 contributions
May 2022
The courtyard can be entered free of charge. At 9am, 11am, 1pm or 3pm, a 14th-century replica clock chimes with medieval characters marching through. The museum itself is missed by many. The entrance is above the courtyard and it does have a fee. You can do it as a self-guided tour if you have less than 5 people or a daily tour can be booked in advance. Definitely worth seeing.
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

susangHK2015
Hong Kong, China39 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
This is a fabulous museum. It's a timed entry, and then you can go through at your own pace. It's not huge, but it's fascinating. Don't miss the tiny globe from 1510 with the first representation of the Americas. The actual globe is in the Copernicus room, in the glass cabinet, and there is also a model that is much bigger and easier to see.
Written July 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

starlightShanghai
Victoria, Canada3,642 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
Architecture, artefacts, and ambience! The Collegium Maius has them all.

The beautiful Collegium Maius, with a history dating back to the year 1400, is one of my favourite places on the planet!

The small, inner courtyard, alone, is a treat for the eyes: vaulted arcades, a central 16th-century well, and red brick walls. And, in one corner, there's a tiny garden with a young tree just sprouting its first leaves of Spring.

There's a special clock over the museum entrance. At 9 a.m. daily, the clock doors open and display a row of moving figures. These figures represent people connected with the history of the university, and they move to tune of various melodies.

There's a 'wraparound' porch accessible by either of two staircases leading up to it - and to the museum - from the courtyard.

The museum entrance is under the huge clock. Visits to the museum are by guided tour only, and I must have really lucked out with the great guide I had. (Never caught her name, but a real charmer with tons of information about every aspect of the complex.)

Within the museum - a library, a common room, a treasury, and an assembly room. Some of the displays are in different textures and with Braille notes, for those who are visually impaired.

The treasury holds artefacts that include the instruments that Copernicus used when he was a student here. Great art and lush furnishings are also on display.

Special academic events still take place in the assembly room. There's a huge portrait in the assembly room of Pope John Paul II, one of the university's most illustrious graduates.

What many visitors may not realise is that although the museum is closed on Sundays, the courtyard is not!

In fact, one of my many return visits to this beautiful complex was on a Sunday shortly after 8:30 a.m. I had the entire courtyard to myself in which to just sit back and soak up the surroundings. At 9:00 a.m., I even had the 'clock show' all to myself!

The museum requires a guided tour (included in the price of admission), whereas the courtyard does not. Check the Collegium Maius website for additional information.

This is a great place for anyone who has a real appreciation of art, architecture, or history!
Written April 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ken j
Manalapan, NJ880 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
Take the tour of the museum. The long English tour (much better than the short) is at 1 every day. This is not to be missed for anyone with any interest in science and history (my wife is a science teacher). You have to book a tour with a guide, who leads you through amazing preserved rooms full of medieval things. It has artifacts from Copernicus and the first globe with America on it, as well as paintings from masters. An incredible collection dating from 1400.
Written July 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brett W
Anchorage, AK34 contributions
Oct 2013 • Couples
First of all it is hard to find this place as there is really nothing announcing it. Then you go in the courtyard and try to find the place to buy tickets (all the signs pointed the wrong way when we visited! The ticket counter is directly across the courtyard). But the real trick is to know to show up as close to 10 am when they open and buy tickets for the 1 pm tour. This tour is twice as long as the normal tour and takes you through the scientific halls of the museum. Only 15 tickets are sold for this tour as opposed to the 45 or so crammed into the short tour. Seeing all of the fascinating relicts so up close and personal is a rare treat and you really feel privileged to participate in the experience. Truly a hidden gem for the patient and determined traveler.
Written October 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CalBristol
Weston super Mare, UK2,130 contributions
Dec 2011
The short tour takes you around the historic and beautiful rooms of the university showing you the Library, Dining Room, Treasury and one of the original Lecture Halls. The guide (presumably a student) was knowledgeable and had a sense of humour! The collection of artefacts (including instruments used by Copernicus) are very interesting. You are only allowed to go around the University on a guided tour and you need to purchase your ticket in advance from the ticket office just to the left of the main entrance; the tour is on the first floor and there are stairs to climb to start the tour.
Written December 18, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

fsage
Oregon USA11 contributions
The old university is one site that brings the longevity of Polish culture and intellectual history to the forefront. The West has forgotten what a considerable European power Poland used to be, before the Tsar of Russia, the Russian revolutionary communists, the Nazis and the Soviets laid claim over most of 100 years in recent history, treating Poles as, at best, second-class citizens until nearly 1990. This site can help us take a broader, longer view and see the culture beneath our stereoptype. You'll learn that this university was originally funded by a late-medieval queen in the Jaggelonia family, from her own wealth. It is the university where Copernicus first studied. It's not easy to find; it's on a narrow street in the old town, with a tiny sign, but it's worth the search. Even sitting in the inner courtyard brings a sense of Polish history. But I decided to return to take the tour on the last morning of my short visit to Krakow, and it's the place there that most stays in my mind. FS
Written November 21, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

midway42
Georgia3,057 contributions
The entrance to Collegium Maius is a bit tricky to find. It is located just off Jagiellonska Street and easy to walk past if you’re not looking for it. Once inside, the ticket office/souvenir store is located on your left just before the entrance to the courtyard.

The courtyard is impressive unto itself and I believe open at all times. Entry to the Main Collection of is by guided tour only. I arrived a little after 10:00 with an English tour following at 11:20. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Inside is a virtual treasure trove of artifacts centered (pun intended) around astronomy and, obviously, Nicolas Copernicus who evidently studied here from 1491 to 1495. A brass Arabian astrolabe from 1054 (!) along with the first globe to show the new continent of America (next to… Madagascar) from 1510 are some of several highlights.

And don’t miss the hourly chimes of the courtyard clock as little figurines associated with the University stroll past!

This is a great way to spend a couple hours, highly recommended.
Written September 27, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

1066girl
Bristol, UK585 contributions
I visited Collegium Maius back in July 2007 after being told by a friend that it was worth a visit. I got the sense that it wasn't a site on the normal tourist map.
I took a English tour, but it wasn't obvious where we had to go for the tour.
The tour guide was so knowledgable. He described the place in such detail and presented it all in such an interesting way and he could answer any questions that were posed.
We were taken through a series of rooms which were all beautifully decorated and full of artifacts. This place is very interesting and one of my favourite things I saw in Krakow.
Written June 8, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius (Krakow) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius

Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius is open:
  • Mon - Fri 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
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We recommend booking Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 37 Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius tours on Tripadvisor



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