The Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland may inscribe a Polish museum into the National Register of Museums ({{lang-pl|Państwowy Rejestr Muzeów}}) in order to confirm the high level of its cultural activity and the importance of its collection. Only those museums that meet the required criteria – including importance of the museum's collection, a team of well qualified employees, an adequate building, and a permanent source of financing – may be entered into the register. Such museums are known as registered museums ({{lang|pl|muzea rejestrowane}}). A registered museum that no longer meets the criteria may be removed from the register.{{sfn|Museums Act||ps=}}
Registered museums enjoy certain privileges that other museums in Poland do not. A registered museum has the right of pre-emption for artefacts offered for sale by antique traders and at auctions. Directors of registered museums elect triennially from among themselves eleven out of 21 members of the Museums Council ({{lang|pl|Rada do Spraw Muzeów}}), which advises the Minister of Culture and National Heritage on matters related to museums.{{sfn|Museums Act||ps=}}
Among the 127 registered museums ({{As of|2017|alt=as of 2017}}), the vast majority are state-owned. Sixteen of these are deemed to be of national importance and hence supervised directly by ministries of the national government – the Ministry of National Defence in the case of the Polish Army Museum and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for all the remaining ones.{{sfn|Cultural Institutions of National Importance Ordinance||ps=}} The rest of the state-owned museums are either under the supervision of local authorities of various levels (voivodeships, counties or communes) or are supervised jointly by a government ministry and local authorities. Additionally, one registered museum belongs to a state-owned university (the Jagiellonian University Museum) and one is privately owned (the Private Automotive and Technological Museum in Otrębusy).{{sfn|Department of Cultural Heritage||ps=}}
Warsaw, the capital and largest city of Poland, has the highest concentration of registered museums, numbering sixteen. It is followed by Kraków, with nine registered museums; Gdańsk, which is home to four registered museums; and further by Lublin and Opole, with three each.{{sfn|Department of Cultural Heritage||ps=}}
Source: {{harvnb|Department of Cultural Heritage||ps=}}| English name | Polish name | Location | Owner or supervising body |
|---|
| Warsaw Royal Castle – Monument to National History and Culture | Zamek Królewski w Warszawie – Pomnik Historii i Kultury Narodowej | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| National Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Museum of the Zamoyski Family | Muzeum Zamoyskich | Kozłówka | Lublin Voivodeship |
| Museum of the Kraków Salt Mines | Zup|Żup Krakowskich}} | Wieliczka | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Polish Agrarian Movement History Museum | Muzeum Historii Polskiego Ruchu Ludowego | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Independence | Muzeum Niepodległości | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Polish Arms | Muzeum Oręża Polskiego | Kołobrzeg | Kołobrzeg County |
| Museum of the Lubusz Region | Muzeum Ziemi Lubuskiej | Zielona Góra | Lubusz Voivodeship |
| National Archaeological Museum of Warsaw | Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne w Warszawie | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Regional Museum of Rzeszów | Muzeum Okręgowe w Rzeszowie | Rzeszów | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| National Museum of Warsaw | Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| National Ethnographic Museum of Warsaw | Państwowe Muzeum Etnograficzne w Warszawie | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Majdanek State Museum | Państwowe Muzeum na Majdanku | Lublin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Gross-Rosen Museum | Muzeum Gross-Rosen | Rogoźnica | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
| Wawel Royal Castle National Art Collection | Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki w Krakowie | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Castle Museum of Malbork | Muzeum Zamkowe w Malborku | Malbork | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Royal Baths Museum | Lazienki|Łazienki Królewskie}} | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Castle Museum of Pszczyna | Muzeum Zamkowe w Pszczynie | Pszczyna | Silesian Voivodeship |
| Archaeological Museum of the Middle Oder | Muzeum Archeologiczne Środkowego Nadodrza | Swidnica|Świdnica}} | Zielona Góra County |
| Ethnographic Museum of Zielona Góra | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Zielonej Górze | Ochla | Lubusz Voivodeship |
| Lubusz Military Museum | Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe | Drzonów | Zielona Góra County |
| Museum of Central Pomerania | Muzeum Pomorza Środkowego | Slupsk|Słupsk}} | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| National Prisoners of War Museum at Łambinowice | Centralne Muzeum Jeńców Wojennych | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
| National Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum | Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau | Oświęcim | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Museum of the Origins of the Polish State | Muzeum Początków Państwa Polskiego | Gniezno | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Górka Family Castle of Szamotuły | Zamek Górków w Szamotułach | Szamotuły | Szamotuły County |
| Museum of the Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Region | Muzeum Ziemi Kujawskiej i Dobrzyńskiej | Wloclawek|Włocławek}} | Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Wilanów Palace | Pałac w Wilanowie | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Stutthof Museum | Muzeum Stutthof | Sztutowo | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| National Museum of Agriculture and Agri-Food Industry | Muzeum Narodowe Rolnictwa i Przemysłu Rolno-Spożywczego | Szreniawa | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Museum of Sports and Tourism | Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Regional Museum of Toruń | Muzeum Okręgowe w Toruniu | Toruń | City of Toruń |
| Museum of Southern Podlachia | Muzeum Południowego Podlasia | Biała Podlaska | Town of Biała Podlaska |
| Giant Mountains Museum | Muzeum Karkonoskie | Jelenia Góra | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
| Vistulan Museum of Kazimierz Dolny | Muzeum Nadwiślańskie w Kazimierzu Dolnym | Kazimierz Dolny | Lublin Voivodeship and the town of Puławy |
| Regional Museum of the Kalisz Region | Muzeum Okręgowe Ziemi Kaliskiej w Kaliszu | Kalisz | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Museum of the Chełm Region | Muzeum Ziemi Chełmskiej | Chełm | Town of Chełm |
| Museum of the Międzyrzecz Region | Muzeum Ziemi Międzyrzeckiej | Międzyrzecz | Międzyrzecz County |
| Lubusz Museum | Muzeum Lubuskie | Gorzów Wielkopolski | Lubusz Voivodeship |
| Masovian Gentry Museum | Muzeum Szlachty Mazowieckiej | Ciechanów | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Agriculture | Muzeum Rolnictwa | Ciechanowiec | Podlaskie Voivodeship |
| Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum of Łódź | Muzeum Archeologiczne i Etnograficzne w Łodzi | Lodz|Łódź}} | Lodz Voiv|Łódź Voivodeship}} |
| Industrial History Museum | Muzeum Historii Przemysłu | Opatówek | Kalisz County |
| Regional Museum of Piła | Muzeum Okręgowe w Pile | Piła | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Archaeological Museum of Poznań | Muzeum Archeologiczne w Poznaniu | Poznań | City of Poznań |
| Lancut|Łańcut Castle}} | Lancucie|Łańcucie}} | Lancut|Łańcut}} | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| Lublin Museum | Muzeum Lubelskie | Lublin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Lublin Voivodeship |
| Museum of Opole Silesia | Slaska|Śląska Opolskiego}} | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
| Museum of Opole Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Opolskiej | Opole | Opole Voivodeship |
| Asia and Pacific Museum | Muzeum Azji i Pacyfiku | Warsaw | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Arts Museum of Łódź | Muzeum Sztuki w Łodzi | Lodz|Łódź}} | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Łódź Voivodeship |
| Museum of the First Piasts | Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów | Lednogóra | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Władysław Łęga Museum | Muzeum im. ks. dr. Władysława Łęgi | Grudziądz | Town of Grudziądz |
| Museum of Kielce Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Kieleckiej | Kielce | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Holy Cross Voivodeship |
| National Maritime Museum | Narodowe Muzeum Morskie | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Polish Army Museum | Muzeum Wojska Polskiego | Warsaw | Ministry of National Defence |
| Museum of Rural Musical Instruments | Muzeum Ludowych Instrumentów Muzycznych | Szydłowiec | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Lowicz|Museum of Łowicz}} | Lowiczu|Łowiczu}} | Lowicz|Łowicz}} | Lowicz County|Łowicz County}} |
| Regional Museum of Sandomierz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Sandomierzu | Sandomierz | Holy Cross Voivodeship, Sandomierz County, and the town of Sandomierz |
| National Museum of Kielce | Muzeum Narodowe w Kielcach | Kielce | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Holy Cross Voivodeship |
| Museum of Literature | Muzeum Literatury | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Masovian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Western Masovia | Muzeum Mazowsza Zachodniego | Zyrardow|Żyrardów}} | Żyrardów County |
| Kashubian Museum | Muzeum Kaszubskie im. Franciszka Tredera w Kartuzach | Kartuzy | Kartuzy Commune |
| Historical Museum of the Capital City of Warsaw | Muzeum Historyczne M.St. Warszawy | Warsaw | City of Warsaw |
| Museum of Lublin Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Lubelskiej | Lublin | Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Lublin Voivodeship |
| Historical and Archaeological Museum of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski | Muzeum Historyczno-Archeologiczne w Ostrowcu Świętokrzyskim | Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski | Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski County |
| Museum of the Kłodzko Region | Muzeum Ziemi Kłodzkiej | Kłodzko | Town of Kłodzko |
| Private Automotive and Technological Museum | Prywatne Muzeum Motoryzacji i Techniki | Otrębusy | Mikiciuk Family |
| Kashubian Ethnographic Park | Kaszubski Park Etnograficzny | Wdzydze Kiszewskie | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Regional Museum of Tarnów | Muzeum Okręgowe w Tarnowie | Tarnów | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Museum of Wałbrzych | Muzeum w Wałbrzychu | Wałbrzych | Town of Wałbrzych |
| Podlachian Museum | Muzeum Podlaskie w Białymstoku | Białystok | Podlaskie Voivodeship |
| Subcarpathian Museum | Muzeum Podkarpackie | Krosno | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| National Museum of Gdańsk | Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Museum of the Wieluń Region | Muzeum Ziemi Wieluńskiej | Wieluń | Wieluń Commune |
| Zofia and Wacław Nałkowski Museum | Muzeum im. Zofii i Wacława Nałkowskich | Wołomin | Wołomin Commune |
| Masovian Museum | Muzeum Mazowieckie | Plock|Płock}} | Masovian Voivodeship |
| National Museum of Poznań | Muzeum Narodowe w Poznaniu | Poznań | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Warsaw Uprising Museum | Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego | Warsaw | City of Warsaw |
| Ethnographic Museum of Toruń | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Toruniu | Toruń | Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Regional Museum of Stalowa Wola | Muzeum Regionalne w Stalowej Woli | Stalowa Wola | Town of Stalowa Wola |
| Historical Museum of the City of Kraków | Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa | Kraków | City of Kraków |
| Rural Architecture Museum of Sanok | Muzeum Budownictwa Ludowego w Sanoku | Sanok | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| Silesian Museum | Slaskie|Śląskie}} | Katowice | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Silesian Voivodeship |
| Museum of the Puck Region | Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej | Puck | Puck County |
| Museum of Kashubian and Pomeranian Writing and Music | Muzeum Piśmiennictwa i Muzyki Kaszubsko-Pomorskiej | Wejherowo | Wejherowo County |
| Museum of Warmia and Masuria | Muzeum Warmii i Mazur | Olsztyn | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
| Archaeological Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Archeologiczne w Krakowie | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Polish Aviation Museum | Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Regional Museum of Nowy Sącz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Nowym Sączu | Nowy Sącz | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Tatra Museum | Muzeum Tatrzańskie | Zakopane | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Ethnographic Museum of Kraków | Muzeum Etnograficzne w Krakowie | Kraków | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Oporów Castle | Zamek w Oporowie | Oporów | Kutno County |
| National Museum of the Przemyśl Region | Muzeum Narodowe Ziemi Przemyskiej | Przemyśl | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| Archaeological and Historical Museum of Głogów | Muzeum Archeologiczno-Historyczne w Głogowie | Glogow|Głogów}} | Glogow|Głogów}} |
| Regional Museum of Leszno | Muzeum Okręgowe w Lesznie | Leszno | Greater Poland Voivodeship |
| Rural Architecture Museum and Ethnographic Park of Olsztynek | Muzeum Budownictwa Ludowego – Park Etnograficzny w Olsztynku | Olsztynek | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Koszalin | Muzeum w Koszalinie | Koszalin | Town of Koszalin |
| Regional Museum of Bydgoszcz | Muzeum Okręgowe w Bydgoszczy | Bydgoszcz | City of Bydgoszcz |
| Nicolaus Copernicus Museum | Muzeum Mikołaja Kopernika | Frombork | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
| Rural Culture Museum of Kolbuszowa | Muzeum Kultury Ludowej w Kolbuszowej | Kolbuszowa | Subcarpathian Voivodeship |
| Vistulan Ethnographic Park and Lipowiec Castle | Nadwiślański Park Etnograficzny w Wygiełzowie i Zamek Lipowiec | Wygiełzów | Lesser Poland Voivodeship and Chrzanów Commune |
| National Museum of Szczecin | Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie | Szczecin | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and West Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Oravian Ethnographic Park | Orawski Park Etnograficzny | Zubrzyca Górna | Lesser Poland Voivodeship |
| Historical and Ethnographic Museum of Chojnice | Muzeum Historyczno-Etnograficzne w Chojnicach | Chojnice | Chojnice County |
| Museum of the Second World War | Muzeum II Wojny Światowej | Gdańsk | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Museum of Northern Masovia | Muzeum Północno-Mazowieckie | Lomza|Łomża}} | Town of Łomża |
| Jagiellonian University Museum | Muzeum Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego | Kraków | Jagiellonian University |
| West Kashubian Museum | Muzeum Zachodnio-Kaszubskie | Bytów | Pomeranian Voivodeship |
| Rural Culture Museum of Węgorzewo | Muzeum Kultury Ludowej w Węgorzewie | Wegorzewo|Węgorzewo}} | Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship |
| National Museum of Wrocław | Muzeum Narodowe w Wrocławiu | Wrocław | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
| Museum of Zamość | Muzeum Zamojskie | Zamość | Town of Zamość |
| Museum of Papermaking | Muzeum Papiernictwa w Dusznikach Zdroju | Duszniki Zdrój | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
| Central Museum of Textiles | Centralne Muzeum Włókiennictwa w Łodzi | Lodz|Łódź}} | Lodz|Łódź}} |
| Museum of Architecture | Muzeum Architektury we Wrocławiu | Wrocław | City of Wrocław |
| Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology | Muzeum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej Manggha | Kraków | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage |
| Museum of Masovian Countryside | Muzeum Wsi Mazowieckiej w Sierpcu | Sierpc | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Walery Rzewuski Museum of the History of Photography | Muzeum Historii Fotografii im. Walerego Rzewuskiego w Krakowie | Kraków | City of Kraków |
| Regional Museum of Suwałki | Muzeum Okręgowe w Suwałkach | Suwałki | Town of Suwałki |
| Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk | Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Gdańska | Gdańsk | City of Gdańsk |
| Museum of Romanticism | Muzeum Romantyzmu w Opinogórze | Opinogóra Górna | Masovian Voivodeship |
| Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała | Muzeum Historyczne w Bielsku-Białej | Bielsko-Biała | Silesian Voivodeship |
| Military Museum of Białystok | Muzeum Wojska w Białymstoku | Białystok | City of Białystok |
| Museum of Old Trade | Muzeum Dawnego Kupiectwa w Świdnicy | Świdnica | Town of Świdnica |
| POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews | Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN | Warsaw | Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, City of Warsaw, Jewish Historical Institute |
| Frédéric Chopin Museum | Muzeum Fryderyka Chopina w Warszawie | Warsaw | National Frédéric Chopin Institute |
| Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park | Górnośląski Park Etnograficzny w Chorzowie | Chorzów | Silesian Voivodeship |