Today I’m taking you to Łódź – my hometown
Łódź is Poland’s fourth-largest city, about 120 km from Warsaw. It built its identity on the textile industry, and that history left behind something remarkable: old factories, grand townhouses, and vast post-industrial spaces that have been given a completely new life. The city has been transforming for years, and the results are hard to miss – it’s greener, more polished and there are so many attractions for kids and adults that one or even two visits definitely won’t be enough – let me show you some of them!
Lodz with kids – top attractions
Hidden courtyards of Piotrkowska Street
While walking along Piotrkowska, it’s worth peeking behind the gates. The most famous is Pasaż Róży (Rose Passage) at Piotrkowska 3 – an installation by artist Joanna Rajkowska, where thousands of mirror fragments cover the walls, referencing her daughter Róża’s experience of illness. Personal, thought-provoking, and genuinely beautiful.
We also visited the courtyard at Więckowskiego 4 with its colorful ceramic tile art installation, crystal chandeliers at Piotrkowska 118, and the colourful umbrella courtyard at Piotrkowska 120. You never quite know what’s behind the next gate.
OFF Piotrkowska
A former textile factory turned creative hub – restaurants, cafés, concept stores, galleries and studios all in one atmospheric space. It’s become one of the symbols of modern Łódź, and it’s easy to see why.
“BIBUŁA” – the secret printing house of Józef and Maria Piłsudski
I’ll be honest – I was half-bracing for a dry history lesson. How wrong I was. This is the Łódź branch of the Józef Piłsudski Museum, set in the actual tenement at Wschodnia 19 where Józef and Maria Piłsudski secretly printed underground newspaper Robotnik in 1899 – until Tsarist authorities caught them. Both were arrested; Józef faced ten years in Siberia. The story alone is gripping. But what makes it unmissable is how it’s told: every visitor gets an iPad with an augmented reality experience (kids’ and adult versions), and not one of us wanted to put it down. Genuinely amazing museum experience. Really worth checking out!
Museum of Cinematography in Lodz with kids
From underground conspiracy to the silver screen – because Łódź wasn’t only Poland’s textile capital. It was also the heart of Polish cinema, home to the legendary Łódź Film School, and the city’s Museum of Cinematography is a must-visit that does full justice to that legacy. The ground floor takes you through the history of Polish film in a beautifully curated way. But the real highlight for families is the entire floor dedicated to children. It’s interactive, hands-on, and genuinely educational – kids can discover how stop-motion animation works, how old cartoons were made frame by painstaking frame, and just how much skill and patience went into what we now stream in seconds. Everything is touchable, there are games, books, and interactive installations.
Palmiarnia (The Palm House)
I hadn’t been to the Łódź Palm House in years, and it was a lovely rediscovery. My daughters, however, were completely obsessed with one specific thing: for just 2 złoty (around 50 cents) you can buy food to feed the fish. At some point, I ran out of cash 🤣. Multiple top-ups were demanded. We spent a nice time there.
Dętka Canal Museum
Under Plac Wolności – right in the city center – you can walk through a real underground canal from 1926, built as part of Łódź’s original sewer system.
The red brick tunnel is over 140 meters long and surprisingly atmospheric. It was designed by British engineer William Lindley, who also worked on Warsaw’s water system, and today it’s the first canal in Poland open to visitors.
Definitely one of the most unique places we visited in Łódź
P.S. There’s another underground canal spot in Łódź – Underground Cathedral – that opens only once a year and looks like a cathedral underground. I’m determined to get tickets one day!
Mediateka MeMo
Mediateka MeMo was one of those places we knew we had to revisit during our trip to Łódź with kids ✨
Part library, part creative hub, part gaming paradise – with PlayStation & Xbox consoles, VR, a flight simulator, LEGO zone, comics & manga, music rooms, recording studios and a great kids’ area. Such a brilliant place for families visiting Łódź with kids 👀
Księży Młyn
One of the most interesting and atmospheric areas in Łódź. Once a huge 19th century industrial complex built by factory owner Karol Scheibler, today it has been beautifully revitalized into a neighborhood full of red brick buildings, cafés, craft shops and quiet little streets.
One of the biggest attractions for kids is the Koci Szlak – the “Cat Trail”. Small bronze cat sculptures are hidden around the district and each one references the history of the area. Searching for them turned our walk into a fun little mission.
EC1 Łódź with kids
Without a doubt one of the biggest highlights of our trip to Łódź with kids.
EC1 used to be the first power plant in Łódź and today it has been transformed into a huge science and cultural complex. Inside you’ll find exhibitions, educational spaces, a planetarium, film-related exhibitions and interactive museums.
Ulica Żywiołów – The Street of the Elements
This interactive exhibition designed for children was a huge hit with my younger girls.
The whole space is focused on experiments, movement, optical illusions and learning through play. Everything is interactive and designed especially for younger children.
Center for Comics and Interactive Narrative
Meanwhile my teenage son completely disappeared into the Comic and Interactive Narrative Centre – and honestly, I understood why immediately.
This place is seriously impressive. Retro arcade games (which I had so much fun with!), VR experiences, gaming history, comic exhibitions, interactive installations and even a whole Witcher-inspired section created together with CD Projekt Red.
I visited it for the first time and was genuinely impressed by how modern, interactive and well-designed everything was. You could easily spend an entire day there.
Orientarium Łódź with kids
Visiting the Łódź zoo always brings back memories for me because I used to come here a lot with my parents as a child ✨
The zoo changed enormously over the years and the Orientarium is seriously impressive now. Elephants, orangutans, sharks, rays swimming above your head in the underwater tunnel – there’s SO much to see. We only regretted not having a full day there.
The most unforgettable moment? We accidentally witnessed a guanaco giving birth 😭
When we came back later, the baby was already trying to stand on its tiny legs. Such an incredible thing to see.
Aquapark Fala Łódź
Our last stop in Łódź was Aquapark Fala – another place full of childhood memories for me because I used to come here with my parents too. Today it’s one of the biggest water parks in Poland with slides, wave pools, indoor & outdoor areas, saunas and tons of attractions for families.
My kids LOVE this place and somehow they even convinced me to go on one of the huge inflatable slides with them 😅
I went down with my eyes closed the entire time… but I have to admit it was really fun 😂
Such a great family place in Łódź.
Where to eat in Lodz
Spółdzielnia , OFF Piotrkowska – we ate dinner there and everything was delicious. They also have a kids menu and a little play corner for children, which is always a huge plus for us during family trips
Tubajka, Park Źródliska – one of my favourite Łódź spots to eat with kids. Tubajka, a café-restaurant tucked inside Park Źródliska, has been on my regular rotation for years – and it never lets me down. The food is always fresh and tasty. There’s also a play area for kids.
Imber Restaurant – A really good restaurant hidden in one of the Piotrkowska courtyards. The menu is inspired by traditional local flavors.
You’ll find dishes like pastrami, pierogi with lamb, duck broth, zalewajka and other regional specialties there. Everything we tried was delicious and they also have a kids’ menu.
Where to sleep in Lodz with kids
Elegans Apartments
Wschodnia Elegans Aparthotel Łódź and the location alone makes it a really great option for a family stay in Łódź. The apartments are located very close to Piotrkowska Street – the main and most representative street in the city – which means most of the city’s attractions are walkable.
The rooms were comfortable, the breakfasts very tasty and after long days of exploring Łódź, it was really nice to come back to such a central and convenient place. If you are planning a city break in Łódź and want a good base for discovering the city on foot, this is definitely a place worth checking out
Summary – Lodz with kids – top attractions
Łódź is such a great city for a family trip 💙
Interactive museums, revitalized industrial spaces, hidden courtyards, creative places, great food and attractions where kids can genuinely have fun – there’s really so much to do here.
From EC1 and Orientarium to Księży Młyn and Aquapark Fala – Łódź mixes history, creativity and family fun in a really unique way.
And we still feel like there’s so much more left to discoveron’t be enough.ctions for families.
This article was created in cooperation with the Łódź Tourism Organization. You can find many more travel tips for Łódź at https://lodz.travel/en/
If you are looking for inspiration for other polish cities on the blog, check here.
