Stefan Batory High School Museum

What to expect

One of Warsaw’s most unusual small museums: a memory chamber in the basement of one of Poland’s most storied high schools. The school museum of the Stefan Batory Gymnasium and High School was created around the turn of 2001 and 2002 and is run by history teacher and school alumnus Marcin Miros. Crucially for travelers, the school openly welcomes outside visitors - you just need to arrange the visit in advance.

Batory is a school of legend in Poland. Founded on 1 September 1918 as the Royal-Polish Stefan Batory Gymnasium, it has occupied its building at ul. Myśliwiecka 6 since the 1920s - a landmark designed by architect Tadeusz Tołwiński and built in 1922-1924. Its scouting troop, the “Pomarańczarnia” (named for its orange scarves), produced “Rudy”, “Alek” and “Zośka” - the heroes of “Kamienie na szaniec” (“Stones for the Rampart”), the classic Polish book about wartime resistance youth - as well as Jan Rodowicz “Anoda”, a participant in the famous Arsenal rescue action. The school also honors the wartime poet Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: a memorial plaque to him has hung opposite the assembly hall entrance since January 1974. According to the school’s own history, over 300 people from its community fought in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.

The collection includes prewar documents, notebooks from clandestine wartime classes, student drawings from 1938-1939, nearly 900 catalogued photographs, 1930s scout chronicles and school newspapers - among them “Ku słońcu”, the longest-running school periodical of interwar Poland. A tour also takes in the school itself, with memorial plaques to fallen alumni and recipients of the Virtuti Militari, Poland’s highest military decoration. A visit lasts 45 minutes to an hour.

Tips

• By arrangement only. Visiting the school and museum is possible only after contacting the caretaker in advance: phone 661 644 278 (outside lesson hours), email marcinmiros@gmail.com, or the school office at 22 628 21 01.
• Book early. The museum takes only 2 groups per day, and October-November and March-April are peak season for school groups.
• Donation expected. Visitors are asked to pay 150 PLN (about 35 EUR) to the school’s Parents’ Council.
• This is a working school: shoe covers are required, and visits during lesson time are conducted in silence.

Getting there

Location: ul. Myśliwiecka 6 in the Śródmieście (city center) district, between the Łazienkowska expressway and Agrykola park, a few minutes’ walk from Royal Łazienki park and Ujazdowski Castle. The nearest bus stops are on ul. Rozbrat and al. Armii Ludowej; from the center, take any bus heading toward Powiśle or Łazienki.

Nearby museums

Nearby museums

Science

Museum of Hunting and Horsemanship

ul. Szwoleżerów 9, 00-464 Warszawa

Museum of Hunting and Horsemanship in Łazienki Park - Polish hunting traditions, taxidermy, carriages, royal weaving. Tickets, hours.

Tue-Wed: 9:00-16:00, Thu-Sat: 10:00-18:00, Sun: 10:00-16:00, Mon: closed (winter season) 30 PLN · free Friday

City Centre (Śródmieście)

Art

Royal Łazienki Museum

ul. Agrykola 1, 00-460 Warszawa

Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw - a royal palace and park complex. Opening hours, tickets, free Fridays, getting there. The largest park in …

Park: daily 6:00-21:00, buildings: Tue-Sun (hours vary) 50 PLN · free Friday

City Centre (Śródmieście)

Art

Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art

ul. Jazdów 2, 00-467 Warszawa

CSW Ujazdowski Castle: contemporary art centre in a reconstructed Baroque castle. Exhibitions, cinema, sculpture park. Night of Museums …

Mon: closed, Tue: 11:00-19:00, Wed: 11:00-19:00, Thu: 11:00-20:00, Fri: 11:00-19:00, Sat: 11:00-19:00, Sun: 11:00-19:00. Thursday entry to exhibitions is free. 30 PLN · free Thursday

City Centre (Śródmieście)

Culture

Andrzej Wawrzyniak Asia and Pacific Museum

ul. Solec 24, 00-403 Warszawa

Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw - Poland's only museum of Asian and Oceanian cultures. 23,000 objects, playable instruments. Hours, …

Tue-Sun: 10:00-18:00, Mon: closed 20 PLN · free Thursday

City Centre (Śródmieście)