Free November 2026
‘Step into history’
Let’s meet at the royal residences for the fifteenth time.
This year’s ‘Free November’ is all about Stepping into History.
WAWEL EXHIBITION PROGRAMME AND INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
All the exhibitions available to visitors as part of the Free November campaign can be toured with a free pass, which is available:
One person may collect admission tickets for up to 5 people.
The remaining exhibitions can be toured with paid tickets - their prices are listed in the relevant price list.
- on the day of your visit at the ticket offices (open 8:45 am–4 pm)
- online – available one week in advance of the visit date (On Mondays, free tickets are available only at the ticket offices, from 8.45 am until they run out)
One person may collect admission tickets for up to 5 people.
The remaining exhibitions can be toured with paid tickets - their prices are listed in the relevant price list.
Please note:
1 November: The Castle is closed
11 November: The following will be open from 9 am–5 pm:
11 November: The following will be open from 9 am–5 pm:
- Castle Second Floor, last admission at 4 pm
- The Armoury, last admission at 4:30 pm
Exhibitions open free of charge as part of ‘Free November’
MONDAY | 10 am–4 pm
- Castle First Floor: Royal Private Apartments, last admission 3 pm; Wawel Recovered, last admission 3:30 pm; Between the Walls, last admission 3:30 pm
- Castle Second Floor: State Rooms, Ottoman Turkish Tents, last admission 16:00
This ticket grants access to the following temporary exhibitions: ‘Anna Jagiellon: All the Faces of the Queen’, ‘Ecstasies. Bernini at Wawel’ (from 6 November), and the exhibition of J. Vermeer’s ‘Woman with a Pearl Necklace’ (from 27 November) - Castle Underground: The Lost Wawel, The Lapidarium - ast admission 16:10
- Between the Walls, last admission 16:30
Admission fee applies to exhibitions:
- Castle First Floor: Royal Private Apartments, Wawel Recovered
last admission 4 pm; tickets: regular 57 zł, reduced 43 zł
This ticket grants access to the following temporary exhibitions: 'Lares and penates. On building a sense of security in architecture' and from 20 November: 'Silk and Splendor: Kontusz Sashes', 'Enlightened: The Art of Light' - Crown Treasury
last admission 16:10; tickets: regular 47 zł, reduced 35 zł - The Armoury
last admission 16:30; tickets: regular 47 zł, reduced 35 zł (free on 11 November)
About temporary exhibitions
Anna Jagiellon: All the Faces of the Queen
The daughter of Sigismund the Old, sister of the last king of the House of Jagiellon, wife of Stefan Batory, who remained in the shadow of her illustrious relatives for many years. The exhibition gives her back her rightful place and portrays Anne Jagiellon as an independent ruler, founder, patron and guardian of the dynastic heritage.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an artistic intervention in the form of a single painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, which will be displayed in the chambers of the Wawel Royal Castle.
Ecstasies. Bernini at Wawel (from 6 November)
This is the latest exhibition in a series of events dedicated to masterpieces of modern sculpture, following Expression (2023) and Emotions (2024). This time, the starting point is ecstasy – an experience encompassing various emotional states: from the internal emotional experience, through their external manifestation, to extreme elation. Artefacts associated with the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, including the bozzetto of The Face of Saint Teresa, drawings and the design for the altar in the Cornaro Chapel are particularly important.
Vermeer at Wawel (from 27 November)
a unique work by Johannes Vermeer – Woman with a Pearl Necklace from the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The painting, which dates back to ca. 1663–1664, depicts a young woman standing in front of a mirror, holding a pearl necklace in her hands. The distinctive yellow jacket trimmed with fur, the subtle play of light streaming through the window, and the protagonist’s concentration lend this everyday scene an atmosphere of tranquillity and intimacy.
The daughter of Sigismund the Old, sister of the last king of the House of Jagiellon, wife of Stefan Batory, who remained in the shadow of her illustrious relatives for many years. The exhibition gives her back her rightful place and portrays Anne Jagiellon as an independent ruler, founder, patron and guardian of the dynastic heritage.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an artistic intervention in the form of a single painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, which will be displayed in the chambers of the Wawel Royal Castle.
Ecstasies. Bernini at Wawel (from 6 November)
This is the latest exhibition in a series of events dedicated to masterpieces of modern sculpture, following Expression (2023) and Emotions (2024). This time, the starting point is ecstasy – an experience encompassing various emotional states: from the internal emotional experience, through their external manifestation, to extreme elation. Artefacts associated with the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, including the bozzetto of The Face of Saint Teresa, drawings and the design for the altar in the Cornaro Chapel are particularly important.
Vermeer at Wawel (from 27 November)
a unique work by Johannes Vermeer – Woman with a Pearl Necklace from the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The painting, which dates back to ca. 1663–1664, depicts a young woman standing in front of a mirror, holding a pearl necklace in her hands. The distinctive yellow jacket trimmed with fur, the subtle play of light streaming through the window, and the protagonist’s concentration lend this everyday scene an atmosphere of tranquillity and intimacy.
Groups and bookings
Groups need to book their tours in advance.
Individual and group bookings for exhibitions offered as part of the Free November campaign are available on a limited basis and only for guided tours; bookings are handled by the Bookings Office via e-mail: rezerwacja@wawelzamek.pl
The number of available dates for bookings is limited.
The payment terms for individually booked guide services remain unchanged.