The year 2025 brought a rise in interest in museums in Poland. A total of 994 museums were in operation, attracting 46.2 million visitors altogether. This was 4.2% more than a year earlier. Museums presented 3,000 permanent exhibitions and organized 4,600 temporary exhibitions across the country, confirming that the sector remains one of the key pillars of cultural life.
The highest number of museums operated in the Mazowieckie and Małopolskie voivodeships. The former had 146 institutions, while the latter had 107. These two regions concentrated not only the largest number of museums, but also the highest visitor traffic. Together, they accounted for 59.2% of all museum visits nationwide. At the other end of the spectrum was the Lubuskie voivodeship, where 17 museums operated and the number of visitors reached 287,200.
The ownership structure of museums clearly shows the dominance of the public sector. It accounted for 71.3% of all institutions. Within this group, local government units were by far the most common organizers, responsible for 83.2% of public museums. In the private sector, meanwhile, museums were most often run by private individuals, who made up 55.1% of that category. This structure confirms that although private museums are present on Poland’s cultural map, the main responsibility for maintaining and developing the museum sector still rests with public institutions.
Of the 46.2 million museum visitors in 2025, as many as 14.1 million benefited from free admission. In addition, 7.4 million visitors used discounted tickets. Organized school groups accounted for 8.2% of all visitors. This shows that museums serve not only an exhibition function, but also an important educational and social role. The accessibility of both free and reduced-price offers has a significant impact on cultural participation.
Art museums were the most popular category. They were visited by 17.7 million people, representing 38.4% of all museum-goers. This result confirms the strong position of art as an area that attracts a broad audience.
However, the “Night of Museums” performed somewhat weaker than in previous years. In 2025, the event attracted 625,800 visitors, which was 21.3% fewer than in 2024. Historical museums were the most popular during this event, drawing 241,100 visitors. Even in their case, however, this still meant a year-on-year decline.
At the end of 2025, the total number of museum objects in Poland reached 22 million, marking an increase of 1.4% compared with the previous year. The largest share of these collections was held by interdisciplinary museums, which accounted for more than one-third of the total museum holdings.
A clear increase was also recorded in the area of permanent exhibitions. In 2025, museums presented 3,000 of them, or 5.5% more than a year earlier. This number included 220 newly created exhibitions. At the same time, the number of temporary exhibitions remained at a level similar to 2024 and totaled 4,600. Historical museums organized the largest number of these temporary exhibitions.
Museums also expanded their activities beyond the traditional display of collections. In 2025, they organized 158,700 cultural and educational events, or 4.2% more than a year earlier. These events were attended by 7.9 million people, representing an increase of 3.3%. The largest number consisted of museum lessons and workshops — 111,700 in total — attended by 2.3 million participants.
Curator-led tours were also an important part of the offer. In 2025, museums organized 13,000 such tours, used by 289,600 visitors. This shows that more in-depth forms of visiting are becoming increasingly important, as they provide not only access to collections, but also interpretation and context.
