A Workshop on Aperiodic Structures took place in Krakow, at the building of the Faculty of Physics and Nuclear Techniques, University of Mining and Metallurgy, from Monday, July 1st to Friday, July 5th, 1996. Altogether there were 75 participants from China, Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, The Netherlands), Japan, South Africa and the USA. 24 invited speakers were supposed to give a one hour lectures but, unfortunately, two of them (Marko V. Jaric and Dan Shechtman) could not come because they were recovering from illnesses. All the others and, additionally, 19 other selected speakers gave excellent lectures, mostly on quasicrystals but also on modulated structures, spin and charge density waves, disordered and amorphous structures. During the poster session 25 posters were also presented.

During the social programme participants learned the history of the Jagiellonian University (founded in fourteenth century) visiting Collegium Maius - the Jagiellonian University Museum with many scientific instruments going back to Copernicus's time. There was also an excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine - one of the oldest mines in Europe with a unique museum of Salt Works. The 4,5 km-long route leads through galleries and chambers on three mining levels. 17th and 19th century chapels of can be seen, among them the very beautiful St. Kinga's Chapel, carved out of a huge block of salt. The conference dinner was served in one of the chambers, the so called Haluszka Chamber. People enjoyed this place, listening and dancing to the mining orchestra. Many people stayed a few days longer to participate in post-workshop activities: visiting the surroundings of Krakow, an excursion to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, and a city sightseeing walking tour.