The National Centre for Film Culture

A contemporary counterpart to the city’s excellent Film Museum, the National Centre for Film Culture is a hub for film lovers, offering screenings, workshops, and discussions. Located within the EC1 technology campus, this multifaceted institution houses a cinema showcasing classic and arthouse films, a film archive preserving Polish cinema heritage, and educational programs dedicated to film appreciation.

The National Centre for Film Culture

In 2017, Łódź was designated a UNESCO City of Film, thanks to its contribution to the history of cinema, celebrated film school, and its contemporary festivals. In addition to the excellent film museum, the city also has a newer space focused on the artform. The National Centre for Film Culture is equal parts cinema, museum, archive, conference venue, and institutional space.

There are two permanent exhibitions. Kino Polonia, opened in 2023 and covering three floors, is the largest overview of Polish cinema in the world. Whereas the Film Museum covers the story through a local lens, NCKF takes a wide-angled view, as it were. The other exhibition, Materia Kina, is about the practicalities of film production, from writing the script to getting the finished movie distributed. This is perhaps the most uniquely practical film exhibition in the world and the experience is heavily gamified to give visitors a true sense of what is involved in making cinema.

The National Centre for Film Culture is near the Łódź Fabryczna train station and is served from a number of bus stops. The closest is Tuwima – Targowa (Planetarium). Use this official Łódź timetable to plan your journey. The whole area is heavily signposted with maps once you reach the EC1 campus.

The National Centre for Film Culture address: Targowa 1/3, 90-022 Łódź, Poland

Most attractions at EC1 are open as follows:

• Tuesday-Sunday: 10am-6pm
• Monday: closed

However, there are evening screenings which fall outside these hours. All times and prices are subject to change, and opening hours may be different during public holidays.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find the official National Centre for Film Culture website very useful. I couldn’t get the English language function to work and there is limited information about public holidays, last entry times, or accessibility.

A combined ticket for the Polonia Cinema / Museum of Cinematography exhibitions costs 45zł (30zł reduced). You can also buy tickets for the exhibitions individually, as well as film screenings. Prices may cost more at the weekend.

Unfortunately, the advanced ticket site is also in Polish and didn’t always work well for me in certain web browsers. You can check it to make sure there are still places left and then just turn up in person and buy tickets on the door. The staff will explain the different tickets available to you.

Where Is This Place Located?

Find this location on the Visit Łódź map:

• Open the Visit Łódź 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 / ORANGE: Łódź Sightseeing
• GREEN: Łódź Transportation
• BLUE: Hotels in Łódź
• PURPLE: Shopping In Łódź
• DARK RED: Restaurants in Łódź
• LIGHT RED: Nightlife in Łódź