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. […]

Most foreigners in Warsaw tend to the stick to the center of the city and Old Town, with some maybe venturing as far as the Praga district. Being that these areas are mostly discovered and easy to tour — along with being packed with tourists and locals — I decided to start taking trams to […]

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, located in Warsaw, Poland, is a renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the 1,000-year history of Jewish presence in Poland and to promote tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect. It serves as a space for learning, reflection, and dialogue, exploring the rich cultural and religious […]

All around Warsaw, there are reminders of the historic Jewish presence. Though Warsaw has experienced incredible change and development since WWII, the city has taken special care to ensure that the plight of the Warszavian Jewish community will never be forgotten. In the location of the former Warsaw ghetto are several memorials that educate passerbys […]

The Jewish Historical Institute’s mission is to promote awareness of the thousand-year Jewish presence in Poland. They achieve this through exhibitions, artistic events, conferences, education programs, and publishing. The Institute serves as a repository of Jewish heritage, preserving collections like the Underground Archive of the Warsaw Ghetto. They also maintain Jewish cultural monuments, are developing […]

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 […]

Science fiction/fantasy, often shorthanded to SFF, is a genre of media concerned with supernatural, fantastical, or other elements beyond our current technological capabilities. Although its roots run deep, borrowing inspiration and elements present in The Odyssey or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, SFF truly came into its own after the Industrial Revolution. It was a […]

While I was on study abroad in Warsaw, Poland, the place I visited most behind the Palace of Culture and Science, where I had classes every day, was Old Town. Why? Simply put, a trip to Old Town in Warsaw is like taking a journey back in time. It is the gem of the city […]

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 […]