Muzeum Historyczno-Archeologiczne w Ostrowcu Świętokrzyskim
Museum with two branches: the Neolithic flint mines of Krzemionki (UNESCO) and the Wielopolski Palace in Częstocice.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Muzeum Historyczno-Archeologiczne in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski grew out of a Regional Museum, which opened on 3 December 1966 in the Wielopolski Palace in Częstocice. The palace was built in an eclectic style to a design by Leander Marconi in 1887–1899; after the war it housed schools, and from 1963 it was handed over to the town for use as a museum. Today the institution holds historical and artistic collections relating to the history of Ostrowiec and the surrounding area, including militaria, coins, Judaica, products of the ironworks, and a rich collection of Ćmielów porcelain and faience.
The seat of the museum is the branch in Sudół near Ostrowiec – the Museum of Archaeology and the Krzemionki Reserve. In the Neolithic and at the beginning of the Bronze Age, striped flint was mined here, and the prehistoric excavations were recognised as a Monument of History in 1994. In 2019 Krzemionki, together with other mining areas of the region, was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The tourist route is about 1.5 km long, and its several-hundred-metre section leads underground through prehistoric corridors, a solution unique in the world.
In Krzemionki visitors will also see a multimedia exhibition, “Władcy krzemienia” (Lords of Flint), and a reconstructed Neolithic settlement. The branch also includes the Krzemionki Opatowskie nature reserve, where several dozen rare and protected plant species occur.
Highlights
- Underground route through the prehistoric striped flint mines at Krzemionki (UNESCO)
- Multimedia exhibition “Władcy krzemienia” (Lords of Flint)
- Reconstructed Neolithic settlement
- Wielopolski Palace of 1887–1899 with its park
- Collection of Ćmielów porcelain and faience
Permanent exhibitions
- Władcy krzemienia – A multimedia exhibition in the museum building at Krzemionki presents how the Neolithic striped flint mines worked and the world of their creators.
- Podziemna trasa turystyczna i osada neolityczna – A route of about 1.5 km with a section underground in the prehistoric workings, and a reconstructed Neolithic settlement.
- Wystawa stała w Pałacu Wielopolskich – A selection of historical and artistic collections: Ćmielów porcelain, silver and silver-plated objects, and mementos of the history of Ostrowiec.
- Founded
- 1966
- Director
- Andrzej Przychodni
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 40 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 25 złPupils, students, people with disabilities, people over 65, pensioners, people receiving disability pensions, veterans and holders of the Karta Dużej Rodziny; residents of the Ostrowiec district receive a 50% discount. |
| Children & teens | 25 złfree up to age 6 · Children up to the age of 7 enter free of charge. |
| Seniors | 25 złPeople over 65, pensioners and people receiving disability pensions pay the reduced ticket. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 25 zł |
| Students & apprentices | 25 zł |
| Families | 90 złFamily ticket PLN 90 (2 adults + 1 child) or PLN 100 (2 adults + 2 children). |
| Family ticket 2+1 | 90 zł |
| Family ticket 2+2 | 100 zł |
| Wielopolski Palace – standard ticket | 15 złFree admission on Tuesdays. |
| Wielopolski Palace – reduced ticket | 10 zł |
Free admission: Tuesday – free visiting day (for everyone).
The prices apply to the Krzemionki branch; the ticket price includes a fee for the guide. Admission is free for, among others, children up to the age of 7 and staff of museums entered in the State Register of Museums. From 1 January 2027 ticket prices are to change. At the Wielopolski Palace one can pay in cash, by card and with BLIK.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: not available
- Easy-to-read materials: not available
- Audio description: no information
At Krzemionki the floor level is the same as the entrance level, wheelchairs can be taken into the exhibition rooms, and the exhibition route has no barriers. In the exhibition “Władcy krzemienia” replicas of objects can be touched, the captions are in large print and Braille, and the route has an audio description. For wheelchair users a special section of the underground route has been prepared, and at the Zenon shaft a lift takes visitors down into the mine. An accessible toilet and marked parking spaces are available, and assistance dogs may enter. There is no sign language interpreter on site. At the Wielopolski Palace a lift serves three levels, and tactile plans are available, one of them with an audio description.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | 90 zł · Family ticket PLN 90 (2 adults + 1 child) or PLN 100 (2 adults + 2 children). |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Both branches run educational programmes for children and young people; family tickets are available, and at Krzemionki visitors can touch replicas of objects. In some parts of the underground route the temperature is 7–9°C.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
PKS buses from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski towards Lipsko via Bałtów, and runs to Okół, Tarłów and Wiktorów; from 1 April to 31 October 2026 the line Ostrowiec – Krzemionki – Bałtów also runs.
By car
- Accessible parking
Krzemionki lies about 8 km north-east of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, on voivodeship road no. 754 between the villages of Sudół and Magonie towards Bałtów (coordinates 50.972015, 21.489269). The Wielopolski Palace stands in Częstocice at ul. Świętokrzyska 37.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Lockers
At Krzemionki lockers are available for visitors (rules for using the lockers are on the museum’s website); publications and souvenirs can be bought in the museum’s online shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Visits to Krzemionki are only with a guide and require advance booking (tel. +48 41 260 55 50, +48 669 970 499, rezerwacje@krzemionki.info). The route includes the permanent exhibition, a temporary exhibition, the route with an underground section and the reconstructed Neolithic settlement, and lasts about 1.5–2 hours. The underground temperature is constant at 7–9°C, so it is worth bringing warmer clothing; a considerable part of the route runs above ground, through the forest. A tour in English is requested when booking. At the Wielopolski Palace the guided tour is free of additional charge, but it is also possible to visit independently. |
