The Sukiennice are not only the historic upstairs gallery but also the ground‑floor commercial arcades with stalls — so when planning your visit it's useful to distinguish the opening hours of the two areas. The Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art (a branch of the National Museum in Krakow) usually has regular opening hours from Tuesday to Sunday; Monday is the day this exhibition is closed. The souvenir stalls on the ground floor operate under different practices and often have longer hours, especially during the tourist season.
If you’re coming for a quick visit — it's best to check the museum's exact hours on the day of your visit, because short changes may occur due to temporary exhibitions or technical breaks. In practice the basic rule is: museum — Tuesday–Sunday; stalls — typically open earlier and close later.
Typical opening hours for the Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art in the Cloth Hall are usually 10:00–18:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, with the last visitors admitted about 20 minutes before closing. The ticket office and museum shop operate until the branch closes.
Ticket prices for the gallery are set by the National Museum; standard options usually include full, reduced and family tickets, and the museum often offers days or hours with free admission (for example, Tuesdays for permanent exhibitions). Consider buying tickets online, especially in high season, to avoid queuing at the ticket office.
The museum also offers audio guides and guided tours: renting an audio guide is inexpensive, and an official museum guide can be booked (the museum provides guiding services in Polish and foreign languages, with group‑tour prices set by the National Museum in Krakow).
The ground floor of the Cloth Hall is a commercial space with stalls where you can buy handicrafts, amber jewellery, souvenirs and leather goods. The number of active stalls varies in sources (figures around 54–55 are often given) — the exact number can change due to reorganisations or administrative decisions.
Stalls have different opening hours from the museum; in practice the arcades and entrances on the ground floor usually open in the morning (around 9:00) and close late (around 20:00), particularly during the tourist season. Individual stall hours may vary — some stalls may close earlier or have seasonal breaks in winter.
When buying souvenirs pay attention to quality and origin — the Cloth Hall offers a lot of local handicrafts, but there are also imported products. When purchasing amber, compare a few stalls and ask about certificates of origin; for wooden or ceramic items check workmanship.
A ticket to the Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art usually also includes access to the Cloth Hall terrace, which offers a nice view of the Main Market Square and the Town Hall Tower. On the ground floor and in the immediate vicinity there are cafés and restaurants, some of which stay open longer than the museum — in season terraces and dining venues can be open until late evening.
The museum provides basic amenities: a cloakroom, a museum shop, audio guide rental and tourist information. Photography of permanent exhibitions is generally allowed for amateur use without additional lighting or tripods, but it's always good to ask at the ticket office about the specific rules for a given exhibition.
If you need accessibility assistance (entrance for people with reduced mobility, info about lifts, etc.), contact the Sukiennice branch directly — the museum publishes contact details and the ticket office phone number on its site.
If you want to view the exhibition in peace, plan your visit for the museum opening hour (around 10:00) or the late afternoon. At midday and in the afternoon the Main Market Square and the stalls can be very crowded — in that case it's better to visit the terrace or a café first, and see the exhibition before or after the main tourist peak.
Buy your ticket online if the museum offers that option. This saves time and helps avoid queues. Pay attention to free‑entry days and special hours — on Tuesdays the museum often has favourable conditions for permanent exhibitions.
Remember the weather — on very sunny days the terrace and cafés are especially pleasant, while in cold or rainy weather crowds in the stalls and venues may be bigger.
Buying souvenirs “in a hurry” without comparing prices — many stalls offer similar items, so look around and compare a few offers before buying.
Buying amber at very low prices without checking its origin — if authentic amber matters to you, ask for information about the material and any guarantees.
Confusing the museum's hours with the stalls' hours — the museum is usually closed on Mondays while the stalls may remain open; plan gallery visits for days the museum is open.
Leaving valuables unsecured in the crowd — pickpockets can operate on the Main Market Square, so keep documents and valuables close to you.
In the immediate vicinity of the Cloth Hall there are several well‑known places worth considering after your visit: the historic Wierzynek Restaurant (for a traditional, long‑standing experience), Restauracja Sukiennice (with a view of the Market), Szara Gęś / Szara (popular market cuisine), and cosy cafés such as Cafe Camelot or the café on the Cloth Hall terrace. I recommend booking a table in the evening, especially at weekends.
If you prefer local specialities in a more intimate atmosphere, ask at the tourist information desk or the museum ticket office for recommendations favoured by locals.
The Cloth Hall has roots going back to the 13th century and for centuries was Krakow's main trading centre. The upstairs of the Cloth Hall became one of the first seats of the National Museum in Krakow — a gallery operated here already in the 19th century.
In the past both ends of the stalls were closed with grilles at night, which created a tradition of protecting goods and organising trade; today this medieval ‘street’ has become representative arcades full of stalls.
The number of stalls on the ground floor is reported in sources as around 54–55, and once a year there is a Cloth Hall Festival that recalls the renovation and 19th‑century restoration of the building.
Is the museum open on Mondays? The Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art in the Cloth Hall is usually closed on Mondays — the ground‑floor stalls may be open.
Can you go up to the Cloth Hall terrace without a ticket? Access to the terrace is often included in the gallery ticket; rules for independent terrace access can vary, so ask at the ticket office.
Do the stalls sell alcohol? The stalls mainly sell souvenirs, handicrafts and jewellery; sale of food products and alcohol in some points is limited or prohibited by rental rules.
Can I photograph inside the museum? Amateur photography of permanent exhibitions is usually allowed without extra lighting or tripods, but regulations can differ for temporary exhibitions.
Are there toilets and a cloakroom at the Sukiennice? Yes — the museum has a cloakroom and toilets; check details with the branch information before visiting.
If you found this guide helpful, share it with friends or on social media — it helps others plan their visit to Krakow better.
If you'd like to experience the Sukiennice with extra stories and personal commentary, I invite you to use the services of the private guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz — you can find more information and contact details on zwiedzaniekrakowa.com. A professional guided tour adds historical context, little‑known anecdotes and practical time‑saving tips. Enjoy your visit and happy souvenir hunting!
