Collegium Maius and the Market Square Underground (Rynek Underground) tell two complementary stories about Krakow: the first reveals the city’s intellectual and university life, the second — its everyday commercial life and the historical layers hidden under the Market’s paving stones. Visiting both sites gives you a fuller picture of medieval and early modern Krakow — you'll see scholarly instruments and rector’s insignia as well as fragments of old streets, market stalls and municipal installations.
For those who like history served in an engaging way: Collegium Maius charms with authentic interiors and historic exhibits (including the Jagiellonian Globe and a room associated with Copernicus), while the Market Square Underground offers a modern, multimedia narrative about the city's development plus a large archaeological reserve beneath the Market surface.
At Collegium Maius you’ll visit historic university rooms: the old library, the academic refectory, professors’ chambers and the treasury with rector’s insignia. The most famous exhibit is the Jagiellonian Globe — one of the earliest globes to show the New World. In the so-called Copernicus room you can also see 15th-century astronomical and astrological instruments that impress both science fans and families with children.
Also worth noticing are the professors’ garden (open seasonally), a small café and a museum shop where you can rest after the visit. The interiors are authentic and preserved in the atmosphere of the old university — a lovely, intimate lesson in history.
Visits to the permanent exhibition are usually organised as short guided entries — during the season entrances are scheduled at intervals, so it’s a good idea to arrive a bit earlier or reserve a spot if that option exists. Ticket prices are modest (many information pages list standard and reduced fares); universities and museums often offer free-entry days, so check current information before you arrive.
Collegium Maius can be closed to individual visitors at weekends during certain periods — the best time to visit is a weekday morning when it's quietest. Keep in mind group size limits and the short touring route — plan about 45–60 minutes to comfortably see the exhibition and visit the shop or garden.
Remember to have your ID when using discounts (students, pupils, seniors). If you come with a larger group, notify the museum in advance.
The Jagiellonian Globe at Collegium Maius is one of the earliest globes to include the newly discovered Americas — a little "global history moment" inside a Krakow university building.
The collections also include unusual 20th-century mementos — for example film awards or medals donated to the university by well-known cultural and scientific figures, showing that the museum is a living institution that continues to gather items illustrating the university’s story.
The Market Square Underground is an extensive multimedia exhibition beneath the eastern side of the Main Market Square. On several levels it presents the life of the city from pre-town times through the Middle Ages to modern times. A large part of the exhibition is an archaeological reserve where you can see uncovered fragments of the old pavement, foundations and municipal devices.
The display uses modern multimedia solutions — 3D reconstructions, glassed sections revealing the former layout, and interactive stations attractive to families with children. This approach makes the city’s history accessible and engaging.
