Gallery of 19th century Polish art in the Cloth Hall, a branch of the National Museum in Krakow

The Cloth Hall has for many years served as the headquarters of the National Museum in Krakow. The history of the building dates back to medieval times. At the end of the 18th century, in addition to its contemporary utilitarian function, the Cloth Hall also gained in symbolic importance. Rising in the heart of Krakow, the building became a place of high importance for national culture. In 1870, the then Mayor of Krakow Józef Dietl considered the restoration of the building to be one of his most important tasks. Dietl intended the upper floor of the building to be used as a museum. The Cloth Hall was restored according to Tomasz Pryliński's design. The works were begun in 1877 under the mayoralty of Mikołaj Zyblikiewicz. Pryliński's project assumed a conversion in the spirit of eclecticism: a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles. The museum, brought to life on 7 October 1879 by the City Council of Krakow, soon took the entire upper floor of the Cloth Hall. In 1902-1903 there was a modern museum gallery. It survived almost unchanged until the outbreak of World War II. A new exhibition presenting exclusively Polish painting and sculpture, from the Enlightenment to the end of the 19th century, was developed in 1950-1956. The same range of works shown is maintained to this day. The gallery underwent a complete restoration in 2007-2010, gaining a new layout and decor. The transformation and modernization covered all museum rooms in the Cloth Hall and new ones were created on the ground floor and mezzanine. For the first time a viewing deck was made available to visitors. The unique collection of the Gallery of Polish Art of the 19th century in the Cloth Hall with the Gallery of Old Polish Art from the 12th to the 18th centuries located in the Bishop Erazm Ciołek Palace, and the Gallery of Polish Art of the 20th century in the Main Building of the National Museum in Krakow all form a unique and continuous picture of Polish arts.