The villa 'Atma' in Zakopane houses the world's only biographical museum of Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937). The Polish composer, second greatest after Frederic Chopin, had enjoyed staying in Zakopane from his early youth, and towards the end of his life settled there permanently, living in a villa in Kasprusie street.
The idea of establishing the Szymanowski Museum in „Atma” was suggested by composer Michał Kondracki as early as in 1937, and after the war efforts in this direction were undertaken by Szymanowski's niece - Krystyna Dąbrowska. However, it was only in 1967 that an appeal in this matter was successfully issued by Zdzisław Sierpiński, a music critic from Życie Warszawy. Soon afterwards, a prominent writer and music critic - Jerzy Waldorf – formed a public committee at the Warsaw Music Society, whose purpose was to purchase and renovate „Atma”. In 1974, the building was transferred to the National Museum in Krakow, and only two years later - on 6 March 1976 - the villa was opened to the public. The ground floor presented an exhibition devoted to the composer and his ties with the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane. Most of the exhibits were donated by the artist's niece, Krystyna Dąbrowska.
Villa 'Atma' was erected after 1890 as a typical guest house, one of many built in Zakopane in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for rent to holidaymakers. 'Atma', built by Józef Kaspruś-Stoch, owes its original name to the tourists of that era – it is derived from the Sanskrit word for "soul". The house is an example of the Zakopane style, introduced to architecture by Stanisław Witkiewicz.
The museum is situated on the ground floor of the villa and offers basic information about the life and work of the composer. It also presents his ties with Zakopane and Podhale folklore, preserves his personal items and houses a reconstruction of Karol Szymanowski's study. In the years 2011-2013, this branch of the National Museum in Krakow underwent major renovation and structural modernization as part of a partnership project of the National Museum in Krakow and the Orava Museum in Dolny Kubin called „Music in the Tatra Mountains” realised within the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme the Republic of Poland – the Slovak Republic 2007-2013 . Thanks to the EU funds and the support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the venue acquired modern installations and facilities for the disabled, while the historical matter was secured.
Day of the week | Opening hours | ||
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Tuesday | 10:00 - 17:00 | ||
Wednesday | 10:00 - 17:00 | ||
Thursday | 10:00 - 17:00 | ||
Friday | 10:00 - 17:00 | ||
Saturday | 10:00 - 17:00 | ||
Sunday | 10:00 - 17:00 |
Holidays | Opening hours |
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2025.04.20 (Sunday) | x |
2025.04.21 (Monday) | x |
2025.05.01 (Thursday) | x |
2025.05.03 (Saturday) | x |
2025.06.19 (Thursday) | x |
2025.08.15 (Friday) | x |
2025.11.01 (Saturday) | x |
2025.11.11 (Tuesday) | x |
2025.12.25 (Thursday) | x |
2025.12.26 (Friday) | x |
Tickets | ||
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normal | 18.00 PLN | |
reduced | 12.00 PLN | |
family | 36.00 PLN | maks. 4 osoby, w tym minimum 1 dziecko do 16 roku życia |
when? | name | where? | about what? | for free | for children | |
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![]() | 2025.01.17-2025.04.13 | Utamaro Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, graphics and drawing | yes | |
![]() | 2024.11.02-2025.05.04 | Pokaz portretu Elizy Pareńskiej i rysunków z kolekcji prywatnej Temporary exhibition | Wyspiański pl. Sikorskiego 6 31-115 Kraków Lesser Poland | graphics and drawing, painting | yes | |
![]() | 2024.11.26-2025.05.11 | Winiety, sygnety i kartusze - piękno dawnych ksiąg i map Temporary exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | documents | yes | |
![]() | 2024.12.20-2025.05.18 | TRANSFORMACJE. Nowoczesność w III RP Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | architecture, design, graphics and drawing, installations, modern art, outfits, painting, photography, sculpture | yes | |
![]() | 2024.05.16-2025.05.25 | Mehoffer z Fryburga. Projekty witraży katedralnych Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, graphics and drawing | yes | |
![]() | 2024.12.17-2025.06.15 | Teściowa i Synowa. Dwie księżne Czartoryskie Temporary exhibition | Czartoryski Museum ul. Pijarska 15 31-015 Kraków Lesser Poland | broń i militaria, malarstwo, przedmioty użytkowe, rzemiosło artystyczne, rzeźba | yes | |
![]() | 2024.09.13-2025.08.08 | Gosia Baczyńska. Pokaz z kolekcji MNK Temporary exhibition | Szołayski house plac Szczepański 9 31-011 Kraków Lesser Poland | design, outfits | yes | |
![]() | 2025.02.21-2025.08.10 | Janusz Tarabuła. Pamięć Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | modern art, painting | yes | |
![]() | 2025.02.04-2025.08.31 | Utkane w Zakopanem. Serwety z koronkami Marii Bujakowej Temporary exhibition | Biographical museum of Karol Szymanowski ul. Kasprusie 19 34-500 Zakopane Lesser Poland | art crafts, folk art | yes | |
![]() | 2025.04.11-2025.10.12 | Siła wiary – moc wiedzy. Amulety i numizmaty w historii medycyny Temporary exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, graphics and drawing, medals and badges, medicine, numismatic items, utility items | yes | |
![]() | 2025.05.13-2025.10.12 | Królestwo roślin i zwierząt - opowieść i trudy poznania Temporary exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | environment, graphics and drawing | yes | |
![]() | 2025.07.18-2025.11.02 | Dacja. Zapominane królestwo Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | archeology, art crafts, jewelry, weapons and militaria | yes | |
![]() | 2025.08.08-2025.11.30 | Chełmoński Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | painting | yes | |
![]() | 2025.09.12-2026.03.01 | Lwowianki / Львівʼянки Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | photography | yes | |
![]() | 2025.11.21-2026.05.31 | SBB Droga do Wolności Temporary exhibition | Szołayski house plac Szczepański 9 31-011 Kraków Lesser Poland | music | yes | |
![]() | 2026.02.13-2026.07.05 | Grupa Pięciu (1905–1908) Temporary exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | graphics and drawing, painting | yes | |
![]() | Gallery of 19th-century Polish Art Permanent exhibition | The Gallery of 19th century Polish Art in the Sukiennice ul. Rynek Główny 3 31-042 Kraków Lesser Poland | painting, sculpture | yes | ||
![]() | Gallery of Decorative Art Permanent exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, devotional articles, fabrics, industrial design, outfits, religions | yes | ||
![]() | XX + XXI. Polish Art Gallery Permanent exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, digital art, graphics and drawing, modern art, movie, painting, sculpture | yes | ||
![]() | XX + XXI. Polish Art Gallery - sculpture Permanent exhibition | The Main Building ul. 3 Maja 1 30-062 Kraków Lesser Poland | modern art, sculpture | yes | ||
![]() | Muzeum biograficzne Jana Matejki Permanent exhibition | Home of Jan Matejko ul. Floriańska 41 31-019 Kraków Lesser Poland | artists, graphics and drawing, painting | yes | ||
![]() | Kraków na wyciągnięcie ręki Permanent exhibition | Bishop Erazm Ciołek's Palace ul. Kanonicza 17 31-002 Kraków Lesser Poland | architecture | yes | ||
![]() | Wyspiański. Trzecia odsłona wraz z pokazem dzieł z okresu paryskiego Permanent exhibition | Wyspiański pl. Sikorskiego 6 31-115 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, artists, graphics and drawing, painting, theater | yes | ||
![]() | Przekroje. Galeria architektury polskiej XX i XXI wieku Permanent exhibition | Szołayski house plac Szczepański 9 31-011 Kraków Lesser Poland | architecture | yes | ||
![]() | Muzeum biograficzne Józefa Czapskiego Permanent exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | artists, documents, interiors and everyday life | yes | ||
![]() | Gabinet Numizmatyczny Permanent exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | documents, models, numismatic items | yes | ||
![]() | Broń i barwa Permanent exhibition | Arsenal ul. Pijarska 8 31-015 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, weapons and militaria | |||
![]() | Źródła. Galeria sztuki starożytnej Permanent exhibition | Czartoryski Museum ul. Pijarska 15 31-015 Kraków Lesser Poland | archeology, art crafts, numismatic items, painting, sculpture, utility items | yes | ||
![]() | Galeria "Sztuka dawnej Polski. XII-XVIII wiek" Permanent exhibition | Bishop Erazm Ciołek's Palace ul. Kanonicza 17 31-002 Kraków Lesser Poland | painting, sculpture | yes | ||
![]() | Muzeum biograficzne Józefa Mehoffera Permanent exhibition | Józef Mehoffer House ul. Krupnicza 26 31-123 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, artists, graphics and drawing, interiors and everyday life, painting, sculpture | |||
![]() | Zbiór starych druków i rękopisów Permanent exhibition | Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum ul. Piłsudskiego 12 31-109 Kraków Lesser Poland | artyści, dokumenty, literatura, malarstwo, wnętrza i życie codzienne | yes | ||
![]() | Przedmioty. Galeria Designu Polskiego XX i XXI wieku Permanent exhibition | Szołayski house plac Szczepański 9 31-011 Kraków Lesser Poland | industrial design, utility items | yes | ||
![]() | Klasztorek Permanent exhibition | Czartoryski Museum ul. Pijarska 15 31-015 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, interiors and everyday life, painting, utility items | yes | ||
![]() | Muzeum biograficzne Karola Szymanowskiego Permanent exhibition | Biographical museum of Karol Szymanowski ul. Kasprusie 19 34-500 Zakopane Lesser Poland | artists, interiors and everyday life | yes | ||
![]() | Pałac Permanent exhibition | Czartoryski Museum ul. Pijarska 15 31-015 Kraków Lesser Poland | art crafts, painting, sculpture, weapons and militaria | yes | ||
![]() | Galeria "Sztuka cerkiewna dawnej Rzeczypospolitej" Permanent exhibition | Bishop Erazm Ciołek's Palace ul. Kanonicza 17 31-002 Kraków Lesser Poland | devotional articles, painting | yes |