Muzeum Archidiecezjalne we Wrocławiu
The largest church museum in Poland, on Ostrów Tumski, with monuments from antiquity to the 20th century, including Cranach’s ‘Madonna under the Firs’.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The idea of a diocesan museum arose in 1898. In view of the secularisation carried out by the Prussian authorities from 1810 and the modernisation of churches, as a result of which valuable monuments ended up in attics and cellars, the church authorities decided to protect sacred art. The first director was Fr Dr Józef Jungnitz, and the first exhibition was opened to the people of Wrocław in 1903, in a Gothic hall from 1520 in the building of the chapter library.
During both world wars the collections were evacuated; after the Second World War some exhibits were lost, including paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder, and their restitution continues to this day. The museum reopened to visitors in 1947. After 1989 it received an entirely new seat, the post-chapter building from 1756 at Plac Katedralny 16; after renovation in 1992–1994 it was officially handed over to the museum on 30 August 1994. In 1998 the institution celebrated its centenary.
Today the museum presents, according to its own data, around 8,000 monuments, and the complex includes the building of the former chancellery, the former chapter and the former ducal archive. Among the most important exhibits are the mummy of a boy from the Ptolemaic period, the oldest bell in Poland from 1300, the Mass chalice from Muszkowice from around 1400 and the ‘Madonna under the Firs’ (Madonna pod jodłami) by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1510.
Highlights
- ‘Madonna under the Firs’ by Lucas Cranach the Elder from 1510
- Mummy of a boy from the Ptolemaic period
- Oldest bell in Poland, of Abbot Świętosław, from 1300
- Gothic wooden sculpture and late-Gothic winged altarpieces
- Fragment of liturgical vestments from 1250, known as St Hedwig’s vestments
- Lapidarium of stone monuments from the 12th to the 19th century
Permanent exhibitions
- Cranach & Cranachiana – A separate room displays the ‘Madonna under the Firs’ by Lucas Cranach the Elder, together with information about the painter, the history of the painting’s theft and recovery, and its copies.
- Sztuka średniowieczna – The exhibition includes wooden Gothic sculpture, goldsmith’s work and late-Gothic winged altarpieces, showing changes in style in Silesia from the 14th to the early 16th century.
- Antyk i starożytność – The display presents material culture from the Mediterranean basin, including the mummy of a boy from the Ptolemaic period and Greek and Etruscan objects.
- Founded
- 1898
- Operated by
- Archidiecezja Wrocławska
Admission & discounts
| Reduced | –pupils of primary and secondary schools, students, pensioners and retirees, persons with disabilities together with their carers, and participants of the ‘Nasz Wrocław’ programme, on presentation of a document. |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 6 · Children under 7 visit the museum free of charge. |
| Families | –The family ticket is for one or two parents or carers with up to three children aged 7–18. |
The ticket entitles the holder to one entry to the permanent and temporary exhibitions on a chosen day and at a chosen time; tickets are sold by the museum’s box office and online shop. The current price list is not published on the museum’s website; prices are shown only in the booking system.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
According to the museum’s regulations, the museum is adapted to receive people with mobility, visual and hearing impairments. A person with a disability may visit with an accompanying person and with a guide dog. Accessibility coordinator: tel. +48 71 327 13 61.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
Children under 16 visit the museum only with parents or adult guardians; a family ticket is available. The museum offers an educational programme with multimedia museum lessons.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Katedra
Trams 2 and 10 to the Katedra (Cathedral) stop; trams 9, 17 and 19 to the Ogród Botaniczny (Botanical Garden) stop; buses N, 904 and 914 to the Katedra stop, and A, N, 111, 128, 904 and 914 to the Ogród Botaniczny stop.
Amenities & dining
- Coat check
- Lockers
Outer garments, backpacks, bags and umbrellas stay in the cloakroom; valuables may be left in deposit lockers, as available.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography and filming are allowed without a tripod and flash. |
| Good to know | Individual visits only with an e-guide device. Organised groups (up to 25 people) tour with a guide after prior arrangement by phone (+48 71 327 13 61) or e-mail (recepcja@tumwroc.pl); guided tours in a foreign language are also available on booking. Children and young people up to 16 may enter only with parents or adult guardians. Food and drinks may not be brought into the museum. |
