Warsaw Uprising, Warsaw

The Warsaw Rising Museum is a newer museum that is a must-see when visiting Warsaw. It documents the people of Warsaw who fought for their city in 1944. It shows everyday life before and during the Warsaw Uprising through photos, writings, video, and hands on demonstrations. There is an underground tunnel system similar to how the Polish people got around during the uprising.

I spent several hours in this museum and still did not see everything. There is so much to see and to read. Fortunately everything is labels in both Polish and English so I was able to follow along (but they have audio guides in other languages). At some point I lost my way following the numbered signs, but it turned out fine as I was able to see quite a bit (I never did figure out where I lost my way!).

I highly recommend you watch the short 3D film, “The City of Ruins,” on the destruction of Warsaw. It was an extra cost, but it was very minimal (2 PLN). The film takes you on a flight over Warsaw after it has been destroyed in 1945, swooping down on places so you get a real feel for how much the people of Warsaw have been through. Having just walked much of the area shown in the previous days before I saw this film, it was powerful to me to see the rebirth of the city.

I walked to the museum – it took me about an hour from the central train station, but it was a pleasant walk. There was public transport (bus and tram) nearby as well as parking for cars.

Admission was 10 PLN (addition 2 PLN if you want to see the 3D film). The museum is open every day except for Tuesdays. Opening hours vary so check the website to be sure. Admission is free on Sundays.

I didn’t bring my camera to this museum – I wanted to concentrate on the history – so I don’t have any photos from my visit.

Probably one of the most common mistakes for any Warsaw tourist is to mix up two of the most important events in Warsaw’s history. The Warsaw Uprising and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. This monument has little to do with the Jews in the Ghetto, they have another, majestic monument.
Confused? Maybe, but anyway, this is the monument dedicated to the fighters of the Warsaw Uprising. This event takes a special place in the history of the Polish Nation as an attempt of self-liberation from the occupying Nazis. The fights took place between August 1st and October 2nd 1944, when the Germans were already retreating from the Eastern front. A lack of support from outside finally caused the uprising to fail and resulted in an almost total destruction of the city.
Due to tensions with the Soviet Union (especially concerning its doubtful role during the uprising), a monument to the insurgents was not erected in Poland. The present monument was unveiled on August 1st 1989, short before the Soviet Union collapsed. It stands on the spot where the Polish counter-attack on the German Army started.

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Nicely laid out museum that lets you know something about a piece of history that I was not aware of, the Polish people rising against the Germans who had occupied their homes and the betrayal of the Russians who had promised help and never gave that help.

http://www.warsaw-life.com/poland/warsaw-1944-uprising

You can see everything from the printing presses used to publish papers and flyers to the actual greatcoats worn by the Polish insurgents.

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This museum should be a must for the first time visitor. The museum features the horrors the Poles suffered during WW2. The darkness of the museum combined with the "searching lights" (sorry I don't know how to call them), the sounds of planes flying and bombs falling gives the impression of you being there, in the middle of where it all happened. I couldn't help but thinking "this cannot happen again!" the whole time.

You can listening to phone conversations (in Polish only) and see some picture presentations in one of their binoculars on the wall, and of course there's reading material in English and (mostly in) Polish.

We liked that there was children and young teenagers on a school field trip, because if we don't learn our history it's doomed (for lack of a better word) to be repeated.

Practical info: ticket price 4PLN for everyone except for children under 8. Closed on Tuesdays, open Friday-Sunday 8am to 6pm and the rest of the week 8am to 8pm.

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They say that pictures are worth
a thousand words, so because of
the seriousness of this museum, we
would not want to mis-quote what
it is all about.

Enjoy our pictures from within the
museum, andvisit their website for
the complete details of themuseum,
and why it was erected.

The museum contains a memorial wall,
exhibitions, oral history project, a virtual
tour, and general information ....

OPENING DAYS AND HOURS:
8.00 am - 8.00 pm Thursday
8.00 am - 6.00 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday
10.00 am - 6.00 pm Saturday and Sunday

ENTRANCE TICKETS
Regular - 4 PLN
Reduced Rate - 2 PLN
Group Ticket - 1 PLN
Sunday: Admission Free

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On our arrival here at The Warsaw Monument to the Uprising, we were both overcome by emmotions. It took some time pondering this magnificent collection of statues grouped together telling of the great heros struggle to defend their beloved city and their subsequent escape decending into the sewar system. The Monument was unvieled on the 1st. August 1989 and is placed in the square where the original sewar system was. .The Statues stand as if protected and guarded by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Warsaw Uprising Monument was long expected and long awaited by the People of Warsaw and indeed Poland.

The museum is very large and very impressive. We had to queue for about 15 mins to get in on Sunday (when admission is free) - only ~ 4 zlots weekdays.

The exhibits are well worth a visit, but I would advise setting aside 2-3 hours, so you can read through the explanations and follow the story. My one criticism is that the history is not so easy to follow - the exhibits seem to be standalone as opposed to coming togther to form a coherent story.

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During the Uprising the Home Army's Department of Propaganda made short movies which were watched in the cinema "Palladium" in Zlota St. I've watched one of these movies (with English subtitles) in the Uprising Museum cinema on the mezzanone level. I've got to know that the building which housed the Palladium Cinema is under renovation and will soon house Academic Multimedial Center Palladium: 120 computer stands, art gallery and small cinema with ambitious movies to watch and then discuss.

I've seen also uprising barricade with a huge photo of Warsaw street behind and information on so-called Columbus Generation on the walls where tenths pictures of young insurgent's faces and mirrors were hung.

The Generation of Columbus is common name of Poles born around 1920 who actively took part in anti-Nazi resistance and Warsaw Uprising. Many of them were killed that time. Those who survived WWII were persecuted by communist regime but played very important role transferring their strong patriotic feelings to their kids which was best seen during 16 months of the first anti-communist Solidarity movement in 1980 - 1981. The name of that generation originates from the title of famous in Poland book: "Kolumbowie. Rocznik 20" (Columbs, year 20 - review, follow the link in the bottom) by Roman Bratny which surprisingly was published in Poland (despite censorship) in 1957 that was after the end of the hardest Stalin's times. In 1970 the war, drama TV series "Kolumbowie" was made.