The good: there's a lot of information, original items, videos, and really a full multimedia experience. I appreciate the textual information in both Polish and English next to all the displays; some museums of this type try to minimize it or force the use of an audioguide, but I really think the way this museum has done it is better to help the visitor understand. That said, audioguides in many languages are available for those who would prefer that. I commend the museum for that. I also appreciated that they controlled the flow of traffic well. It was a Sunday, so free admission, and the museum was at pretty much maximum capacity, but staff were ensuring the numbers didn't rise above a certain level by having us queue outside, and this kind of controlled management is missing at so many museums, making the experience worse for it. We only had to queue for about ten minutes anyway.
The bad: many other reviewers have mentioned the layout, which is absolutely chaotic and difficult to follow. There are a few signs indicating where to go next, but they are not everywhere they are needed and are sometimes contradictory. A better-labeled path (obvious room numbers, arrows on the floor if necessary) would make this a better experience. As it was, the narrative lacked any sort of coherence - a real shame given the amount of information on offer.
Secondly, the place is just too dark. I appreciate that they're trying to create an atmosphere, but many descriptions are hard to read. They should also consider the placement of some signs - having a person read a dark sign while looking upward toward a bright light is not good design. This is a real problem for people like me with bad eyes, but even my husband whose vision is normal struggled in some places.
Thirdly, the information is presented in a rather biased way, with no consideration given to any of the nuance that is always present in a complex historical event like this one. Additionally, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is barely mentioned; I get that it's not the museum's main focus, but surely it is also a key part of the story. The overall feel is rather propagandistic. I also didn't see any contemplation of any of the results of this event or its applications today. A key part of studying history is contemplating and reflecting on its effects, including how it affects us. That's completely missing in this museum.
All told, I'm glad I went, but also glad I went on the free day; I would have felt ripped off if I had paid full admission for this. I do think they have the skeleton of a good museum here, and with a few updates, it could be a genuinely great place to learn and visit.