Stanisław Wyspiański (1869-1907) was one of the most complete artists produced by Poland — painter, playwright, designer, and visionary who worked in the compressed final decade of his short life to transform Krakow's cultural identity. The Wyspiański Museum in the Szołayski House near the Franciscan church presents his work across media: the pastel portraits of his children that show his extraordinary draughtsmanship, the stage designs for his theatrical work (his play "The Wedding" is the most important Polish drama of the 20th century), cartoons for the stained-glass windows he designed for the Church of St. Francis, and his furniture and interior designs.
The museum reopened after renovation in 2022 with expanded display spaces and improved presentation of Wyspiański's designs. His stained-glass designs for the Wawel Cathedral — which were never executed during his lifetime due to official disapproval — are shown here alongside his designs for the church windows that were eventually built. Given Wyspiański's central place in Krakow's cultural history, the museum is a natural complement to a visit to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.