KrakowInformer.com

Some guests tried to pose as Roman emperor Nero from 'Nero's torches' painting

Whole families came to see improved gallery

Underground area made into a toilettee

New addition - a lift

Sukiennice 19th century Polish Art Gallery had been closed in 2006, after over 130 years of constant exhibiting. Before the renovation started, ca. 1300 paintings and sculptures had to be taken off and deposited in royal castle of Niepolomice, east off Krakow. The 9 million euro worth revitalization included, among others, removing 120 tons of debris, laying 2.5 thousand square meters of floors (ca. 0,6 acre), 4 kilometers of electrical wires (2.5 mile), and 3 kilometers (1.8 mile) of pipes. The building is now the state of the art museum building in Krakow, and last weekend thousands of queuing visitors have confirmed good work done.

Designers of the new Sukiennice gallery interior stress that their project was to refer to 19th century art temple that Sukiennice used to be when first opened, but not so much in exact reconstruction as rather in the atmosphere. The facility is now more convenient for admiring art, with full accessibility for the disabled. It is also the first time in history that the Sukiennice terraces have been opened, now available as a cafe garden. – The 21st century has demanded new technological devices for education and information, such as audiovisual and multimedia rooms – says Zofia Golubiew, a director of the National Museum in Krakow. Some pictures have been equipped with free IPhone guide applications. The museum offers also rentable audioguides for the whole exhibition. Latest ecological solutions have also been implemented in the gallery, according to ‘Green Museum’ strategy started in Great Britain. The whole object has been designed for minimum energy losses, as well as specific ranges of humidity and temperature. The lighting is now artificial non-UV lamps, both safe for the artifacts, and also more appropriate for their attractive presentation.
According to the management of the gallery, ca. 10 thousand of people have visited it already, as Krakowians have long been interested in the new Sukiennice. Some even appeared with tickets bought 4 years ago before the renovation, as if kept, these were to enable free visit for two when the renovation was done. The gallery is opened Tuesday to Sunday from 12 to 8 pm.