Wrocław

Wrocław is the 4th largest city in Poland and the capital of Lower Silesia voivodeship. More than 1000 years old, the city holds historical importance to not only Poland but also several other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Wrocław is known as the meeting city (pl. "miasto spotkań") due to its close proximity to Germany and Czechia; people from both countries frequently visit the city.

Wrocław Dwarves

One of the biggest icons of Wrocław is its dwarf statues. Since their introduction more than 20 years ago, small statues of dwarves have been placed in various parts of Wrocław over time.

The first dwarf figure – nicknamed Papa Dwarf (pl. Papa Krasnal) – was built in 2001 and is located on Świdnicka street near the city hall. It was dedicated to the Wrocław-based underground movement Orange Alternative (pl. Pomarańczowej Alternatywy), which opposed communism in the 1980s and famously used a dwarf as its symbol. Its popularity soon resulted in new statues being commissioned by many institutions and businesses in the city. After a few years, the dwarf statues became a symbol of the city. Most figures have a distinct grey and green color, while the original one has a unique brown color and is significantly bigger.

Today, there are hundreds of dwarf statues, each one representing a different theme, idea or role. Some are also created as promotional material. In several places, there are small monuments that feature multiple dwarves. The dwarf figures are popular tourist attractions that encourage visitors to explore the city.

A festival dedicated to the Wrocław dwarves takes place every year in September.

Hydropolis

The Centre for Ecological Education Hydropolis is a science center on Na Grobli 17 all about water. Matching its theme, the center was built in an underground reservoir at the Oder River, which had been used to make drinking water for Wrocław.

Since its opening in December 2015, Hydropolis has played a significant educational role with its water themed exhibitions as well as brought attention to environmental issues in Poland and around the world. The center also organizes workshops for school students and events with partner organizations.

Hydropolis teaches people of all ages about the importance of water for the environment, marine life, water themed history, water purification and much more. Numerous visual media show the planet’s oceans, including their origins. The scientific properties of water, including the weather cycle, can be studied in detail. The center also has models of many historic inventions, such as the water clock and wheel, that show how human civilizations have interacted with nature.

Hydropolis is one of its kind in Poland. It offers an educational experience unlike any other.

Ethnographic Museum

The Ethnographic Museum is a special museum devoted to preserving the multicultural history and folk culture of the inhabitants of rural Lower Silesia from the 18th century until the present. The museum was established after the Second World War in order to conserve the historical artefacts, cultures and records of the inhabitants of Lower Silesia after they were expelled from the region. It also has extensive documentation about the fundamental societal changes the region underwent after the war. With a scope spanning multiple epochs of Germany and Poland, the Ethnographic Museum presents a uniquely in-depth look at Lower Silesia’s population.

Inside, there are exhibitions about the history of the many nationalities and minorities of Lower Silesia and Poland, for example the Lemko minority. Detailed explanations are provided of how historical events, traditions and changing cultural values have shaped the identity of Lower Silesia. Additionally, several exhibitions are dedicated to the heritage of the rural communities from the former eastern Poland, such as Galicia, and show where the inhabitants moved to after the exodus in 1945. These are some of the many subjects visitors can learn about inside the Ethnographic Museum in Wrocław.

Originally, the Ethnographic Museum was a part of the National Museum in Wrocław, which also collected arts transferred from eastern Poland. However, in 2004, the museum was moved to its current location on Generała Romualda Traugutta 111/113.