Museum of Katowice History (the main building)

ul. Szafranka 9, Katowice 

Tel. 32 256 18 10 ext. 117 or 126

Website: www.mhk.katowice.pl; E-mail: przewodnik@mhk.katowice.pl

Opening hours:

Tuesday, Thursday 10:00 – 15:00

Wednesday, Friday 10:00 - 17.30   

Saturday, Sunday 11:00 – 14:00

Individual persons – Saturday and Sunday at:

11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30

Tickets: PLN 8.00; PLN 4.00; PLN 12.00 (family ticket)

Free entrance on Saturdays.

The main museum building is located in a historic tenement house from 1908. It is a symbol of times of the most dynamic city development and it reflects the residents' wealth. Inside, there is available a permanent exhibition relating to the times of the house origin. It displays the interiors of two types of flats: the bigger one (310 m2), rented by the richest middle class representatives in Katowice and the smaller one (150 m2) intended for moderately rich people. Original furniture and equipment as well as reconstructed interior decorations from that time enable visitors to discover the interesting times of the early 20^th century.

In the tenement house there is also the main permanent exposition on Katowice from the 13^th century to the present day. Owing to the artefacts and numerous multimedia materials one can trace the history of Katowice – from a small rural settlement up to the capital of the voivodeship and the leading city of the Upper Silesian conurbation.  

In front of the museum building there is situated the life-size statue of the eminent artist Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz. It is worth emphasizing that the Museum of Katowice History is in possession of the largest world collections of his pastel drawings, displayed within temporary exhibitions.

In addition, there are available publications of the Museum of Katowice History and other literature dedicated to history and culture of Katowice city.

You are welcome to visit the museum website and make familiar with present events and temporary exhibitions offers.      

Museum of Katowice History. City Ethnology Department.

ul. Rymarska 4, Katowice-Nikiszowiec; Tel. 32 353 95 59

Website: www.mhk.katowice.pl; E-mail: etnologia@mhk.katowice.pl

Opening hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00 – 18:00

Saturday, Sunday 11:00 – 15:00

The last entrance 30 min. before closing.

Tickets: PLN 5.00; PLN 3.00; PLN 8.00 (family ticket)

Free entrance on Saturdays.

The City Ethnology Department is mainly focused on research and presentation of the working class life, customs and traditions over the centuries. It is situated in a historic building with a laundry room and a mangle, which was an integral part of the Nikiszowiec workers' housing estate. In the past it was used by the residents and included baths too. In the recent times this facility has been renovated and its original interior has been reconstructed. It involves some original mangles which makes it unique on the national scale. The permanent exhibition presents the entire process of washing procedures in Nikiszowiec at the beginning of 20^th century – from soaking and boiling through washing in the electric machines to mangling and drying.

In another part of the building one can find a permanent exhibition where an interior of a typical workers flat for the Nikiszowiec housing estate has been reconstructed. The furniture and decorations from the 1920s – 1950s show the quality and the specific character of the Katowice miner families.

A group of non-professional artists called the "Janów Group" is strongly connected with Nikiszowiec. The particular group members, dealing with the naive art gained wide recognition as well as popularity in the country and abroad. Within a permanent exhibition one can admire a collection of works inspired by Nikiszowiec, whose authors are the most outstanding representatives of the "Janów Group".

The City Ethnology Department is a part of the Industrial Monuments Route of the Silesian Voivodeship.

Moreover, in the museum opening hours guests can visit the tourist information point offering a lot of free promotion materials, tourist maps as well as a shop selling books and publications relating to history and culture of the Nikiszowiec housing estate in Katowice. On the spot it is also possible to listen to a free audio guide during the tour of Nikiszowiec.

Additionally, in the City Ethnology Department there is a wi-fi zone called the "Heart of Nikiszowiec" where you can relax and have something to drink.

You are welcome to visit the museum website and make familiar with present events and temporary exhibitions offers.     

Museum of Katowice History. Graphic Arts Department.

ul. Kościuszki 47, Katowice; Tel. 32 728 85 57

Website: www.mhk.katowice.pl; E-mail: steller@mhk.katowice.pl

Opening hours:

Tuesday 11.00 – 17.00; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:00 – 15:00

Tickets: PLN 4.00; PLN 2.00; PLN 6.00 (family ticket)

Free entrance on Thursdays.

The department deals with presenting the cultural and artistic output of the city. It is in possession of the graphic artists' works from Katowice and Silesia. The department is named after Paweł Steller - an outstanding graphic artist who lived and created in Katowice for nearly 50 years. Western critics called him "Polish Dürer". The museum has the largest collection of his works. They were bequeathed after his death to the institution. The permanent exhibition called "Paweł Steller – Katowice Citizen by Choice" shows, among others, his wood engravings that made him popular and famous, and resulted in many national and international prizes. The exhibition is displayed in historic interiors of the building with original wooden panelling, moulding and fireplaces where one can find an eclectic dining room from 1913 as well as an art déco room of 1930s. Temporary exhibitions present works of artists from Katowice and Silesia including many professors and students of the Fine Arts Academy in Katowice.

You are welcome to visit the museum website and make familiar with present events and temporary exhibitions offers.  

Museum of Katowice History. Theatre and Film Department

ul. Kopernika 11, Katowice 

Tel. 32 750 47 02, 600 576 242

Website: www.mhk.katowice.pl; E-mail: ptf@mhk.katowice.pl

Opening hours:

Wednesday 10:00 – 16:00

Friday 10:00 - 14.00  

Visiting the department on other days is possible only after prior contact with the museum.

Tickets: PLN 4.00; PLN 2.00; PLN 10.00 (family ticket)

Free entrance on Fridays.

The department deals with presenting the cultural and artistic output of the city. The permanent exhibition shows works and achievements of an outstanding Katowice married couple: Barbara Ptak (a costume and film set designer – "The Pharaoh", "Nights and Days", "The Promised Land", "Queen Bona") and Stanisław Ptak (an actor and singer), stored in their former flat. The exhibition displaying both artistic and private lives of the couple consists of their numerous photographs and souvenirs. In addition, on Wednesdays there are shown documentary films presenting the profile and achievements of Barbara Ptak.

Moreover, the department includes a space called "Gallery 11" where one can admire works of recognised artists from Katowice and Silesia.

You are welcome to visit the museum website and make familiar with present events and temporary exhibitions offers.    

Museum of Katowice History. Church of St. Michael Archangel

Tadeusz Kościuszko Park, Katowice-Brynów

The churchyard can be visited every day from the morning to the evening, excluding the time where services take place.

Free entrance.

The wooden Church of St. Michael Archangel, probably constructed in 1510, is the oldest architectural monument in Katowice. In 1938 it was moved together with other wooden objects to the present location and was intended as a part of an open-air ethnographic museum. The outbreak of the World War II shattered these plans and the ethnographic museum finally came into being in Chorzów after the war. The church complex also involves: the free-standing wooden bell tower from the 17^th century and the lapidaire symbolising a graveyard which once was an integral part of the churchyard. The facilities are located in the picturesque Kościuszko Park, on the Beata Hill (334.5m above sea level) that was the highest point in Katowice till 1975.