Oskar Schindler's Emalia Factory - A Guide to Kraków's Most Moving Museum

✅ 1. What is Oskar Schindler's Emalia Factory?

Oskar Schindler's Emalia Factory is today one of the most important museums in Krakow - and also a place of remembrance that moves you to the core. The once functioning factory, transformed by Oskar Schindler into a shelter for more than 1,100 Jews, today houses within its walls branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakowwhose exhibition tells the story of Krakow and its inhabitants during the Second World War.

It is a museum that must see - whether you are a tourist visiting Krakow for the first time or a local who wants to better understand the history of your own city.

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🕰️ 2. Factory history - from industry to saving lives

A factory that had a different purpose

Initially, at the end of the 1930s, the "Rekord" Enamelware and Tinware Factory operated on Lipowa Street. It was not until 1939 that it was taken over by the German entrepreneur Oskar Schindler, who gave it a new life - both industrial and... humanitarian.

Who was Oskar Schindler?

Oskar Schindler is an extremely complex figure - member of the Nazi party, intelligence agent, but above all the man who risked everything to save the Jews working in his factory. Thanks to his actions - including bribery and influence - his 'employees' were protected from deportation to concentration camps.

"Schindler's List" - not just a film

The list of more than 1,100 names of rescued people, made famous by Steven Spielberg's film, is an actual document - a so-called 'documentary'. Schindler's list. Survivors and their descendants still remember Schindler today as a saviour, and the factory itself has become a symbol of courage and humanity.

Post-war fate of the building

After the war, the factory lost its original industrial significance. At the beginning of the 21st century, it underwent a major revitalisation and was officially opened as a museum in 2010 -. Oskar Schindler's Emalia Factory - Branch of the Krakow Museum.

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🧭 3. Where is Schindler's factory located?

• Address: Lipowa 4, 30-702 Kraków - Zabłocie district
  
• District: post-industrial part of the city, now fashionable and full of galleries, cafes and museums
  
• Proximity to other attractions: only a 5-minute walk from MOCAK, 15 minutes from Kazimierz and 25 minutes from the Main Square
  
• Google Maps: Click to open the location
  

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🚗 4. Getting to Schindler's Factory and where to park?

Public transport:

• Tram: Lines 3, 6, 9, 13, 17, 24 (stop "Plac Bohaterów Getta")

Getting from the railway station to Schindler's Factory by tram number 3 or 17:

• Bus: Lines 174, 178, 184, 484 - stop "Zablocie"
  

Car:

• Where to park?
  It is best to use a designated parking space: recommended parking - at the very entrance to the museum.

• For the disabled:
  The museum offers full access - including dedicated parking spaces, toilets and ramps.
  

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⌚ 5. Opening hours and planning of the visit

• Monday: 10:00-18:00
  
• Tuesday - Sunday: 9:00-20:00
  
• Seasonality: Open all year round, but hours may vary during holidays (e.g. Christmas, Easter)
  

Is it worth coming early?

Yes - especially in summer, at weekends and during the tourist season. Visitor numbers are limited and entry without a reservation may not be possible.

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🎟️ 6. Tickets and prices - how much does it cost to enter?

• Normal ticket: 40 zł
  
• Concessionary ticket: PLN 35 (students, seniors, pupils)
  
• Organised and school groups: special fares
  
• Do you need a reservation?
  Yes, especially at weekends and in high season.
  We recommend booking through the official website: museumkrakowa.pl
  
• Free days: Often Mondays (check availability online!)
  

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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 7. For whom would a visit to Oscar Schindler's factory be a good idea?

Is it worth taking the children?

• Yes, but... The content of an exhibition can be emotionally difficult. Children over the age of 12 usually have a better understanding of the museum's message.
  

Seniors and people with disabilities:

• Lift, ramps, adapted toilets
  
• Resting places along the route
  

Are there guides?

• Yes. You can buy a guide or rent an audio guide - available in many languages: Polish, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French
  

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📸 8. What will you see inside?

Permanent exhibition:

• Cracow 1939-1945 - history of the city from the entry of the Germans to liberation
  
• Reconstructed streets, flats and offices
  
• Real everyday objects from the war
  
• The authentic office of Oskar Schindler
  
• Schindler's List Room - moving presentation of people who survived thanks to his help
  

Temporary exhibitions:

Frequent exhibitions on specific aspects of the history of World War II, the occupation, the fate of the Jews and the people of Krakow.

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📚 9. Trivia and facts

• The film "Schindler's List" was partly filmed in Krakow, but not in the factory itself. Nevertheless - many of the original sets and props can be seen in the museum today.
  
• Not only Jews - Schindler also employed Poles and others at risk of persecution.
  
• Relationship with Jerusalem: Oskar Schindler was one of the few Germans of non-Jewish origin to be buried in the Catholic cemetery on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
  

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📷 10. Multimedia and interaction

• High-quality images available in the museum and online
  
• Virtual walk on the website
  
• Audiovisual accounts of survivors - one of the most emotional points of the exhibition
  

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🍽️ 11. What else is worth seeing in the area?

Restaurants:

• BAL - modern, industrial interior, great coffee and lunch
  
• ORZO Krakow - fusion cuisine, vegan dishes
  
• Enamel - Polish cuisine with a local flair
  

Tourist attractions:

• MOCAK - Museum of Contemporary Art (right next door)
  
• Ghetto Heroes' Square
  
• Krakow Zablocie station - interesting examples of industrial architecture
  
• Podgórze Museum
  
  If you want to know the most interesting museums in Cracow, read the dedicated article we have prepared.
  

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🔍 12. Practical advice before the visit

• Tour time: approx. 1.5-2.5 hours
  
• Photos: can be done, but without flash
  
• Behaviour: This is a place of remembrance - let us be silent and respectful
  
• Dress code: No formal requirements - it's not a temple, but it's worth being serious about
  
• Pushchairs: Allowed, but space can be tight
  

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🌐 13. Schindler Factory contact details and sources

• A phone call to the museum: 12 257 00 96
  
• Website: Oskar Schindler's Emalia Factory - Krakow Museum
  
• Facebook: @Schindler's Factory
  
• Google Maps: See location