Wawel Royal Castle opens Anna Jagiellon exhibition on 23 October

Wawel Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski na Wawelu) in Krakow will open Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen on 23 October 2026. The temporary exhibition examines the queen’s family, political role and legacy through objects shown in six castle chambers.

Anna Jagiellon exhibition opens at Wawel on 23 October

The exhibition runs from 23 October 2026 to 14 February 2027 on the Castle First Floor. The official programme presents Anna as the daughter of Sigismund the Old, sister of Sigismund Augustus and wife of Stefan Batory, rather than only as a member of a famous royal family.

The display follows her path to the crown and her life with Stefan Batory. Visitors will see historical portraits, including works associated with the Kober lineage and the court painter Marcin Kober. Letters exchanged by the couple are also used to explore their relationship, while a jewel bearing Batory’s profile is identified as a personal object recovered from Anna’s grave. The official exhibition programme also refers to research and conservation work on several portraits.

Six Wawel chambers connect the queen with the castle

The choice of venue is part of the exhibition’s subject. The official presentation states that Anna was born at Wawel and spent her youth there, linking the rooms used for the display with the beginning of her personal story.

The exhibition also connects her later patronage with the Sigismund Chapel. Goldsmiths’ work and textiles donated to the chapel are presented as evidence of her religious and dynastic foundations, while the gold plating on its dome is described as a surviving reminder of a commission associated with her. The programme marks the 450th anniversary of Anna’s coronation and the 430th anniversary of her death.

Free November adds access dates for Wawel visitors

November brings a second visitor point around the new exhibition. The castle’s Free November programme includes Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen among the temporary displays available with selected free admission routes. A report on the November programme says the campaign will also include selected permanent exhibitions.

The wider autumn programme places the exhibition alongside other temporary projects at the castle. The official visitor information lists Bernini at Wawel from 6 November and a presentation of Vermeer’s Woman with a Pearl Necklace from 27 November, giving visitors additional fixed dates to distinguish from the Anna Jagiellon exhibition’s longer run.

Visiting Wawel Royal Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Anna Jagiellon exhibition opens on 23 October 2026 and runs until 14 February 2027 on the Castle First Floor.
• The exhibition is closed on 1 November and 11 November 2026, as well as from 24 to 26 December, 31 December and 1 January.
• Wawel Royal Castle stands on Wawel Hill in Krakow, Poland, and the exhibition is located inside the castle rather than in a separate city venue.
• The official language is Polish and the national currency is the zloty.

For visitors interested in royal history, the fixed opening date places the exhibition at Wawel during the November programme rather than after it.

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Frequently asked questions about Wawel Royal Castle

When does Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen open?

The exhibition opens on 23 October 2026 and continues until 14 February 2027.

What is Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen?

It is a temporary exhibition about Anna Jagiellon’s life, political role and legacy, presented through portraits, letters and other objects in six castle chambers.

Where is Wawel Royal Castle and how do you get there?

Wawel Royal Castle is on Wawel Hill in Krakow, Poland. The Anna Jagiellon exhibition is on the Castle First Floor.