MOCAK: Kraków’s Museum of Contemporary Art

MOCAK — the Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków — is the city’s main home for art of the last few decades, in a striking modern building next to Schindler’s Factory in the post-industrial Podgórze quarter. It is the natural counterpoint to Kraków’s Gothic and Baroque heart, and a highlight for anyone who likes their art challenging and current. For the wider picture, see our Kraków travel guide and Kraków museums guide.

What it is

Opened in 2011 on the site of the former Oskar Schindler enamel factory, MOCAK shows Polish and international contemporary art across changing exhibitions and its own collection. The themes are often serious — memory, history, the legacy of the 20th century — which sits meaningfully alongside the wartime museum next door, but there is wit and experiment here too.

The building and the area

The light, low museum was purpose-built among the old factory halls of Zabłocie, a former industrial district now full of lofts, cafés and some of the city’s biggest murals. Visiting MOCAK pairs naturally with Schindler’s Factory right beside it and with our street art walk.

Practical tips

• Tickets. Modest entry, with a free day usually once a week — check the current day on the museum’s website.
• Getting there. In Podgórze/Zabłocie, across the river from Kazimierz; walk over the Bernatek Footbridge or take a tram.
• Combine it with Schindler’s Factory next door — but note the two are very different experiences, so give yourself time between them.
• Check what’s on. MOCAK is exhibition-led, so the current shows shape the visit — look them up before you go.

Frequently asked questions