In the most likely birthplace of vodka, this museum celebrates the history, craftsmanship, and cultural significance of Polish vodka.
Museum manager Mariusz Dampc tells us how.
Polish Vodka Museum’s story
Overcoming obstacles to celebrate history and shake up Warsaw’s cultural scene.
In 2018, the Polish Vodka Museum opened just across the river from Warsaw’s historic center. Celebrating the craftsmanship and cultural significance of Polish vodka, which has Protected Designation of Origin status, it offers much more than a sip of Poland’s vodka heritage.
The museum is housed in a historic vodka factory, connecting 500 years of history with the present through immersive, interactive tours, tastings, and workshops.
"The vision was to celebrate vodka as a key part of Polish identity and history," says museum manager Mariusz Dampc, who started out at the museum as a tour guide. From its inception, the Polish Vodka Museum has distinguished itself with modern exhibits and tastings that engage all the senses and explore the meticulous process of vodka production. Here, Marius discusses the museum’s evolution, overcoming obstacles, what makes it unique, and why he’s happy to forget about his relationship with GetYourGuide.
How did the Polish Vodka Museum begin?
“The museum opened in June 2018 with a mission to educate people about Polish vodka, which is a protected geographical indication. We’re located in an old vodka factory in Warsaw, Koneser, dating back to the late 19th century.
Inside the complex of neo-Gothic buildings, this factory produced vodka for over 100 years and was rejuvenated as part of a broader redevelopment project in Warsaw. It’s a historically significant site, deeply connected to the Polish vodka industry.
How long have you been the museum’s manager?
“I’ve been the manager since early 2023. Before this, I was a product manager responsible for events, but I started as a tour guide shortly after the museum opened. To not be too shy about it, I think I have a pretty wide understanding of the business by now.”
Does the museum celebrate Polish vodka as a whole, are you affiliated with certain brands?
“In our case, it’s about Polish vodka across the entire country and our exhibition covers the history and variety of all Polish vodka brands. That said, we focus on brands historically tied to our building, like Wyborowa, which was created here and remains part of our tasting tours.”
Do you know why the museum partnered with GetYourGuide?
“We have many restrictions when it comes to the promotion of strong alcohol. It’s basically forbidden in Poland. Partnering with GetYourGuide helped us overcome some of this and reach international markets and new guests. Being part of GetYourGuide’s platform attracts visitors who might not discover us otherwise, and it has an in-built trust through the brand connection.
International visitors who haven’t heard of the Polish Vodka Museum see us on GetYourGuide and they trust that it is a quality experience. It’s a must to get to some parts of the market.
How do you interact with GetYourGuide like?
“To be honest, our interaction with GetYourGuide is so small I sometimes forget about it, but that’s a good thing! Most of the everyday things, the orders, invoices, customer service interactions, and so on, it’s all in the system. So when I, as the museum manager, can have the luxury of forgetting about it, it means that everything is going really, really smoothly.
The data from GetYourGuide has been crucial, though. For example, we shifted our tour schedule to include more English tours after noticing from the numbers more than half of our bookings were international guests.
We also reviewed our social media to include more English posts as international visitors increased.”
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What is the experience like at the Polish Vodka Museum?
“Around 70 percent of our tickets are sold online, so we try to ensure our content gives a good preview of the museum. Still, many guests are surprised at how interactive our museum is and how light it is because many people expect this heavy topic of 500 years of history and tradition. Of course, you get all of that, too, but it’s balanced to be both educational and a lot of fun. Our guides also play a crucial role, giving that friendly human connection that enhances the visitor experience, and they can answer literally any question you throw at them — about Polish vodka, at least. We also host cocktail workshops and have a restaurant and bar on site.”
How do you ensure good reviews?
“Again, our staff are key to that. Happy, motivated employees lead to great guest experiences. We focus on excellent human-to-human interactions and swift responses to any issues, so there are high levels of visitor satisfaction. I know from my own experience as a tourist how much it can affect your enjoyment when the staff doesn’t want to be there, so we always do our best to ensure our visitors are happy when they leave and that ’rate your experience’ email lands in their inbox.”
Have you had to deal with any unusual requests?
“We’re open to creative requests and have hosted unique events. From exotic dancers to stand-up comedians to a full-size casino in one of our venues. Many dancers, now that I think about it. It’s all fun and games, but we do work with strong alcohol, so we’re always responsible.”
Key takeaways
- More than 100 percent year-over-year growth in 2024. The Polish Vodka Museum sees continued growth despite challenges to trade including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
- Dashboard data and insights from GetYourGuide confirmed the need to expand the product offering. The museum created more English tours to accommodate increased international bookings.
- The Polish Vodka Museum has leveraged its partnership with GetYourGuide to overcome obstacles like alcohol advertising restrictions.
- The museum focuses on human interaction and ensures swift responses to any issues. GetYourGuide reviews reflect high levels of visitor satisfaction.
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