One of the best things to do when living or studying abroad, is to visit museums and historical institutes to try and learn about that particular place. For me, visiting museums is a no-brainer since I work in museums. I enjoy them. I find it fascinating to see how each museum operates, how they present […]

Many of our students are profoundly moved by how vividly the Warsaw Uprising is remembered in Poland. Those who fought are revered with the respect of founding fathers. Thier symbols and history are preserved and highlighted across the city in museums, monuments, and graffitti. The narrative is popular in modern film (such as the recent […]

One of the last things I did before wrapping up my semester in Warsaw, Poland was pay a visit to the Copernicus Science Center. In this article I will share some background on the center, talk about my visit and what I learned, and finally share some photos from this sweet place! Background The science […]

In Warsaw, large, elegant, and beautiful willow trees grace many of the parks within the city. These are the same willow trees that inspired many of the outstanding musical pieces of prodigy composer and native Pole, Frédéric Chopin. Signs of Chopin’s legacy, like the willows that inspired him, can also be seen across the city. […]

Neon signs first began to populate Warsaw’s streets in the inter-war years when The Second Polish Republic was, briefly, an independent state. WWII destroyed most of Warsaw and nearly all of its then-popular neon signs. The Communists maintained control of the country and officially frowned on the decorative advertisings. Although old town was rebuilt nearly […]

Muzeum Wojska Polskiego (Polish Army Museum) Aleje Jerozolimskie 3 Ticket Prices: Normal- 15 PLN Reduced- 8 PLN Saturdays- Free Admission Website Warsaw is especially associated with its place in the Second World War, and coming to Poland, I was already aware of that specific era in Poland history. However, I was curious about the other […]

As a historian of World War II with a focus on Holocaust studies, visiting Poland was a must since the atrocities of Hitler’s Final Solution predominately occurred in Poland. Today, there are countless commemorations to the Holocaust on almost every street in Poland, it seems. Museums tell the stories, plaques mark the walls of buildings, […]

A perfect weekend for me almost always includes a visit to an art gallery, history museum, or a traveling exhibit of some sort. However, trying to drag my family and most friends to museums is next to impossible. Encouraging young adults, adolescents, and elementary children to visit museums and galleries is exhausting, and more than […]

When I lived in Warsaw, a friend visited who had spent the summer doing archaeological digs around Italy.  So what could be the oldest and most beautiful Polish place I could take her to rival ancient Roman artifacts?  Wilanów Palace, Poland’s only remaining Baroque residence. The palace houses a museum and boasts an elaborate garden […]