Copernicus Science Centre

The Copernicus Science Centre is a fun, hands-on museum, designed principally to give kids a practical engagement with scientific principles. The Centre also has a Planetarium and free rooftop garden with impressive views.

Copernicus Science Centre

Though principally aimed at kids, there’s plenty of interest for everyone at Warsaw’s Copernicus Science Centre, not least the free roof garden that has impressive 360° views of the city’s skyscrapers, the river, and the National Stadium. Places can sell out in advance, so check to see if Get Your Guide has any skip-the-line tickets available.

The Centre originally opened in 2010 with most of the permanent exhibition and the Planetarium the following year. It gradually added more exhibits and features over the years. The two-storey building covers 15,000 square metres, with an adjacent Discovery Park and Planetarium in a separate building.

In addition to temporary exhibitions, the core material is borken into six sections, including Humans and the Environment and the Buzzz! gallery for younger children. There is also a RE: generation gallery for young adults.

What To See In The Copernicus Science Centre

Copernicus Science Centre

With over 400 exhibits, the Copernicus Centre takes roughly 4 hours to see everything – more, if you also visit the Planetarium, roof garden, and Discovery Park. In other words, you can easily set aside a whole morning or afternoon to visit.

Spread over two floors, there are 6 themed sections, as well as the Robotic Theatre and High Voltage Theatre. The latter dramatises principles of electricity, whilst the latter has RoboThespians performing dramatic works The Thinkatorium is a space to tackle engineering and scientific challenges, and workshop practical solutions. You’ll also find a robotic Copernicus who can respond to any question with AI-generated answers. See the official website for the temporary exhibitions.

The main exhibition space is called The Experimental Zone, which is open-plan. There are not visiting pathways or traditional guides. Instead, Explainers (clad in red t-shirts) are on hand to answer questions and help you get the best out of the Centre.

The Planetarium is in a separate building, with a number of films and shows. All films are available in English, via a set of rented headphones. You can pick these up at the ticket office before the screening. You’ll need to show photographic ID! However, the live shows are only available in Polish. See the official website for details.

The free rooftop garden can be accessed on both sides from the street. Geometric beds are densely packed with perennials, shrubs, and grasses that are especially equipped to deal with adverse conditions. They are also friendly to birds and bugs.

Finally, there is also a Discovery Park next door to the Centre, which features more experiential structures, such as acoustic mirrors, designed by engineers and artists. Entry to the park is free.

Read more reviews on TripAdvisor.

How To Visit The Copernicus Science Centre

Copernicus Science Centre roof garden

Tickets often sell out, so buy your tickets online in advance via the official site, rather than chance it on the day.

Your ticket reserves a time slot for entry, although there is roughly 30 minute’s flexibility before and after if you arrive early or late. There are no restrictions on how long you can stay, except for closing time. The average visiting time is 3 hours.

Once you have shown your ticket, there is no re-entry to the museum. So you cannot leave and come back in again.

Last entry is 60 minutes before closing.

Copernicus Science Centre address: Wybrzeze Kosciuszkowskie 20, Warsaw 00-390 Poland

Exhibition times are as follows:

• Mon-Thu 8am-6pm
• Fri 8am-9pm
• Sat / Sun 9am-7pm

The Planetarium is open at these times:

• Mon 10am-3.30pm
• Tue / Wed 10am-6.30pm
• Thu / Fri 10am-8pm
• Sat / Sun 10am-7.20pm

The Roof Garden is open:

• May-Aug 10am-8pm
• Sep-Oct 10am-5pm

If you plan to visit The Copernicus Science Centre on a public holiday, check ahead, as the attraction will be closed on January 1, December 25, Easter Sunday, and at least one day per month.

Entry tickets cost 40zł on weekdays and 42zł on weekends and holidays (28zł or 29zł for concessions / children). The Planetarium costs 28zł (or 20zł for concessions / children). Entry is free for children under 2 and certain assistants for disabled people.

You can enter the rooftop garden for free. This space features plants that are particularly beneficial to the environment and offers great views of the river and the eastern side of Warsaw.

Check the official site for the latest information.

The Copernicus Science Centre is a 5-minute walk from the Centrum Nauki Kopernik M2 metro line station.

Powiśle and Northern Śródmieście Districts: Sometimes referred to as ‘downtown Warsaw’, Śródmieście contains the Royal Route of Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie – two historic streets crammed with things to see and do. The area is also home to the iconic Palace Of Science And Culture and the stunning InterContinental Warszawa hotel. These districts are peppered with amazing restaurants, including the Michelin listed Szóstka.

Tips For Visiting The Copernicus Science Centre

Copernicus Science Centre

• Your ticket will be in the form of a QR code that opens the entry gates. You can display this on your phone or print it out in advance.
• Although tickets have a time slot for entry, you can enter up to 30 minutes before or 60 minutes after the stated time.
• Expect to spend 3 hours in the museum.
• Because the museum is designed for interaction, there are no tour or audioguides. Instead Explainers (in red t-shirts) are on hand to answer questions and give context. Some of the material is in Polish, so having English-speakers on hand to translate is very helpful.
• The museum is open plan and many of the exhibits have built-in seating, so there are lots of places to sit down.
• You are required to put backpacks and coats into the free lockers or cloakroom or lockers – you’ll need a 2zł coin (which you’ll get back). However, you are should take pushchairs into the exhibition space with you.
• Photography is allowed in the museum.
• This museum is designed principally for children. Although some galleries will not suit very young people, there is plenty here to keep everyone engaged and entertained.
• The Copernicus Centre operates a Without Barriers policy, with an action plan for ever-improving accessibility. Wheelchair users should find the space very easy to navigate, and there are accessible toilets. The official site has information for people with physical disabilities, the visually and hearing impaired, and those on the autism spectrum. There are also contact details to help prepare your visit.
• There is a bistro before you enter the exhibition space and a cafe on the first floor. You can also bring your own food to eat in this space.
• There is – of course – a gift shop with lots of science-related gadgets and innovative toys.
• You can pay for everything in the museum with a card.
• If you’re going to a show at the Planetarium, you’ll need to turn up about 10 minutes before the start time, as you will not be let in once it starts. The Planetarium is in a separate building with the entrance facing the river. Some shows are only in Polish, but you can borrow headphones with an English translation.

Where Is This Place Located?

Find this location on the Warsaw Visit Google map:

• Open the Warsaw Visit map
• Click on a marker and it will give you the name of the landmark, with a brief description and links for more information and directions. You can pan, scroll, and zoom around the map, or use the + or – buttons in the bottom left of the map to zoom in and out
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side, sorted by category. Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Each category is on a different layer, which can be switched on and off. So you can just see the Hotel or Restaurant pins, for example
• If you are using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location

Map pins are color coded:

• YELLOW: Warsaw Sightseeing
• BLUE: Warsaw Hotels
• RED: Warsaw Places To Eat – Michelin restaurants are DARK RED
• ORANGE: Warsaw Nightlife
• PURPLE: Shopping In Warsaw
• GREEN: Warsaw Transportation