The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci

The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci

Do you know the brilliant painter Leonardo da Vinci? You can now discover him as a brilliant engineer!

Do you know what Leonardo, author of the Lady with an Ermine, valued most in himself? Not the talent of a painter or the genius of an artist, but his engineering skills. He took pride in inventing machines that were centuries ahead of their time.

From 16 December, the exhibition at the Czyżyny Hangar will feature around 40 contemporary wooden models based on Leonardo’s original designs. Fifteen of them are interactive objects, so visitors will be able to test them for themselves.

Among the inventions from 500 years ago, visitors will be able to admire flying machines, combat vehicles such as the scythe chariot or the prototype of the modern tank, the pedometer, the bicycle, the hygrometer, as well as the parachute or the diving suit.

Leonardo da Vinci left behind more than 7,000 pages of notes. Most of them are technical sketches testifying to the great importance of mechanics in his work. He spent a lot of time developing complex designs for levers, gears, gear mechanisms and other engineering solutions. As a versatile and far-sighted engineer, Leonardo created many concepts and inventions that were inspiring for the modern technology.

The Kraków exhibition is divided into six thematic areas:
optics, mechanics, road, water, war and air.

In the optics section, you can enter the mirror room or see the projector.
The mechanics include a lift, an extendible ladder and other structures.
In the road section, you will discover traffic-related ideas – for example, a pedometer or an arch bridge. Then we have a smooth transition to the water theme, where you can see, among other things, the design of a diving dress. In the war section, constructions such as the tank and ogival projectiles appear.
At the end, you have to look up and see above you the air-related projects, including the famous helicopter concept.

Reproductions of da Vinci’s drawings and paintings – from the Mona Lisa to The Last Supper – will enrich your knowledge of this Renaissance Man. There are also lots of trivia such as the seven principles of ‘Being like Leonardo’, which are still inspiring today!

The exhibition is an opportunity to learn more about the work of the eminent humanist, who was not only a painter, but a visionary and experimenter in technical amenities. It is also an opportunity to remind us that the Latin word ars historically meant ‘skill, technical proficiency, well-executed craftsmanship’.

The exhibition ‘Leonardo da Vinci’s Machines’ was prepared by the Museum of Engineering and Technology in cooperation with Zbigniew Perzyna’s company ‘organisation of exhibitions’. The exhibition has so far visited dozens of cities in many European countries, among others: Greece, Spain, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia.

LEONARDO DA VINCI’S MACHINES

Czyżyny Hangar – Second branch of the Museum of Engineering and Technology

os. 2 Pułku Lotniczego 26a.

16 th December 2025 – 30 th June 2026