On August 8 (Thursday) one of the leading New York newspapers, The Wall Street Journal published an article about Kraków.

George Semler, the author of the text, claims that the historic capital of Poland owes its fame to the great people and medieval monuments. He stresses that it is thanks to them that Kraków has become one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The historic sites mentioned in this context include the Jagiellonian University, Wawel Castle, and the largest medieval Market Place in Europe.

One of the recommended places is the Jagiellonian University Museum in Collegium Maius and its astronomical instruments collection.

The whole collection of the University Museum consists of more than 2 thousand items, representing a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines: astronomy, geodesy, navigation, physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology, including various measuring devices. The core of the collection is formed by the equipment of the old University laboratories, including the first Chair in Physics (established in 1778), the Astronomical Observatory (1792), and the First Department of Chemistry (1782). The most valuable items include astronomical instruments dated from the periods from the 11th to the 19th century, 16th – 19th century globes, chemical apparatus from the late 18th century, and a set of cryogenic instruments from the second half of the 19th century.