While POLIN is Warsaw’s youngest museum, it’s an important one—and very much worth including in your itinerary. In the museum’s English name, the Hebrew word polin roughly translates to “land where thou shalt rest,” and refers to a beautiful legend about the arrival of the first Jews to Poland. The museum opens with a poetic visualization of that story, then continues through 1,000 years of history—you’ll need at least three hours (or more) to fully experience the exhibits.
The 130 scientists who curated the museum aimed to focus on real evidence from real people, allowing them to tell their stories in their own words. Designed by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki, the building itself is equally meaningful, symbolically connecting the past and the future with a bridge. The lobby resembles a canyon of beautiful sandstone, which widens toward huge windows that invite the outside world in to explore. In addition to both permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum features a play-education area for children, a kosher cafeteria, a well-stocked bookshop, an information center (a great resource when searching for your family roots), and a large auditorium, used for concerts, movie screenings, and other events, including the annual Made in POLIN festival.
