Jagiellonian University Museum
The Jagiellonian University Museum, housed in the historic Collegium Maius building in Kraków, is the museum of the Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland, founded in 1364. It holds and presents the university's collections, including historic scientific instruments, art, and academic memorabilia spanning over six centuries of European scholarship.
In recent years the museum has expanded its activities into digital heritage and immersive technologies. As a partner in IMPULSE, a Horizon Europe project, it contributes to work on 3D digitisation of cultural heritage objects and spaces, virtual and augmented reality applications for museum interpretation, and the reuse of digitised heritage data for education, tourism, and research. The museum has represented this work at European events such as the Digital Heritage Summit, engaging with hackathons, knowledge graph initiatives, and discussions on making digitised collections genuinely useful beyond the archive.
Combining a centuries-old collection with an active interest in XR/VR applications, the museum is looking to connect with technology providers, researchers, and other cultural institutions working on immersive heritage solutions, 3D reconstruction, and digital storytelling. We are open to partnerships that help translate our historic collections into new, technology-driven forms of public engagement.
1. Collections and public access
The Jagiellonian University Museum, housed in the historic Collegium Maius, holds and presents the university's collections dating back to the 14th century - historic scientific instruments, works of art, and academic memorabilia. Visitors can access permanent exhibitions, temporary shows, and curated tours of one of Kraków's oldest university buildings.
2. Education and public engagement
The museum runs guided tours, workshops, and educational programmes for school groups, university audiences, and the general public, delivered in both Polish and English. These programmes combine the history of the university with broader themes in the history of science and scholarship.
3. Digital heritage and 3D digitisation
As part of its ongoing digital heritage work, the museum carries out 3D digitisation of collection objects and historic interiors, producing high-quality digital assets that can be reused for research, education, exhibitions, and immersive applications.
4. XR/VR development and testing
Through its participation in the Horizon Europe project IMPULSE, the museum develops and tests virtual and augmented reality applications for museum interpretation, working with 3D heritage data to create immersive, story-driven experiences for visitors.
5. Research partnership and project collaboration
The museum is an active partner in national and international research and innovation projects, contributing museum expertise, historic collections, and institutional infrastructure. It is open to new collaborations within Horizon Europe and other funding frameworks, particularly around digital heritage, cultural technology, and immersive experiences.
6. Consultancy on reuse of digitised heritage data
Drawing on its own digitisation and XR/VR work, the museum offers consultancy to other institutions on how digitised heritage data can be structured and reused effectively across education, tourism, and research contexts.
7. Events, workshops, and hackathons
The museum hosts and co-organises events related to digital heritage and immersive technologies, including workshops and hackathon-style formats that bring together researchers, developers, and cultural heritage practitioners.
8. Venue availability
Beyond its role as a museum, Collegium Maius is also available as a historic venue for external events. Its representative interiors, including the courtyard and period rooms, can host conferences, receptions, cultural events, and partner meetings that call for a setting with genuine academic and historical character. This makes the building a natural venue for events connected to the museum's own project and research partnerships, as well as for external organisations looking for a distinctive location in the heart of Kraków.
