Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory

Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory at ul. Lipowa 4 in Zablocie, in the Podgorze district of Krakow, Poland, is a branch of the Museum of Krakow. The former factory administration building houses the permanent exhibition Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945, which tells the story of the city's residents, Polish and Jewish, during the war rather than focusing on Schindler alone. The exhibition is built as a walk-through of reconstructed streets, rooms and interiors, with original objects, photographs, film and sound that recreate the atmosphere of occupied Krakow, from the ghetto to the concentration of everyday fear and survival. Among the best-known spaces are Schindler's office and the spiral staircase in the administration building. The exhibition is dense and emotionally heavy, and a visit typically lasts two to three hours. Photography rules are posted at the entrance and are restrictive in places. The factory sits about a 25-minute walk from the Old Town across the Father Bernatek footbridge, or a short tram ride to the Zablocie stop, and the MOCAK museum shares the same site. Timed tickets sell out weeks ahead in summer, so booking at muzeumkrakowa.pl is strongly advised, while Monday free-entry tickets cannot be pre-booked and involve long waits. Weekday mornings are generally the calmest time, and the busiest periods are summer weekends and school holidays. The museum is closed on the first Tuesday of each month, and Monday hours are shorter than on other days. Because of the content, the exhibition is better suited to older children and adults.