Museum in Katowice

Silesian Museum

A major regional museum built into the shafts and tunnels of a closed Katowice coal mine, with most of its galleries underground.

Reviewed and updated July 2026

What to see at the Silesian Museum

The permanent galleries cover Polish art from 1800 to 1945 and after 1945, Silesian religious art and non-professional art, alongside 'The Light of History: Upper Silesia over the Ages', which walks through the region's tangled past. The building reuses the historic surface structures of the old mine while placing the main displays below ground.

The former mine that became a museum

The new main site opened in 2015 on the grounds of the Katowice coal mine, which had worked for well over a century before closing in the late 1990s. The primary exhibition space sits underground across four levels adapted from the former tunnels and workshops, with a total area close to 25,000 square metres and around 6,000 square metres given to exhibitions.

Visiting the Silesian Museum in Katowice's Culture Zone

The museum stands in the Culture Zone beside Spodek and NOSPR, so it pairs naturally with a walk around the post-industrial quarter. Lifts connect the underground levels and most spaces are step-free. Confirm current opening hours, ticket prices and any closed days on the official museum website before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

It was built into a closed coal mine in the Culture Zone, with most galleries placed in adapted underground levels while keeping the historic surface buildings.

Galleries of Polish and Silesian art plus a large exhibition on the history of Upper Silesia through the ages.

The underground levels are connected by lifts and most exhibition areas are step-free. Check the official site for details and current hours.