Muzeum w Gliwicach
One of the oldest museums in Silesia, with its main seat in the neoclassical Villa Caro, an exhibition on the 19th-century interiors of industrialists’ villas, and branches across the city.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Gliwice Museum was founded on 22 March 1905 as the Upper Silesian Museum (Oberschlesisches Museum), which until 1933 bore the name Upper Silesian Museum in Gliwice. Its aim was to gather and make accessible monuments connected with Upper Silesia. From 1934 the main seat has been the Villa of Oscar Caro at ul. Dolnych Wałów, a former 19th-century residence of a Gliwice industrialist.
The collections cover archaeology, ethnography (including a unique set of glass plates from the early 20th century), art and applied arts (including artistic casting from the Royal Iron Foundry), history with Judaica and guild souvenirs, and artistic photography. The Villa Caro also houses the Czytelnia Sztuki (Art Reading Room), a gallery of contemporary art founded in 2010.
The museum includes the following branches: the Piast Castle at ul. Pod Murami (from 1960, with the exhibition ‘Gliwice – a city of many cultures’), the Gliwice Radio Station, the House of Memory of Upper Silesian Jews, the Branch of Artistic Casting, and the Art Reading Room. The museum also runs educational projects for children, including ‘Mały Muzealnik’ (Little Museum Keeper).
Highlights
- Villa Caro, a 19th-century industrialist’s residence with a permanent exhibition on the interiors of Upper Silesian industrialists’ villas
- Piast Castle with the exhibition ‘Gliwice – a city of many cultures’
- Joint periodic ticket to all branches of the museum
- Art Reading Room – gallery of contemporary art
- Collection of artistic photography and glass plates from the early 20th century
- Saturdays with free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Dziewiętnastowieczne wnętrza mieszkalne willi górnośląskich przemysłowców – Permanent exhibition in the Villa Caro presenting the furnishing of the 19th-century homes of Upper Silesian industrialists.
- Gliwice miasto wielu kultur – Permanent exhibition in the Piast Castle on the multicultural history of Gliwice.
- Founded
- 1905
- Operated by
- Miasto Gliwice
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 20 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 10 zł |
| Seniors | –Participants in the ‘Gliwicki Senior 67+ and 75+’ programme receive a 50% discount. |
| Visitors with disabilities | 10 złcompanion free · People with disabilities buy the reduced ticket on presentation of a document; the carer enters free of charge. |
| Groups (10+ people) | 5 zł per personPrice per person for groups of 10 or more. |
| Families | 30 złFamily ticket for the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Participants in the ‘Rodzina 3+’ programme receive a 50% discount. |
| Periodic ticket to all branches of the museum (valid for 10 days) | 40 złReduced ticket PLN 20. |
| Guided tour in Polish | 70 złIn English PLN 250; guided tour on request outside opening hours PLN 350 (in English PLN 400) per group. |
| Ticket to temporary exhibitions and events at the Piast Castle | 10 złReduced ticket PLN 5. |
Free admission: On Saturdays admission is free for everyone; on Sundays parents with children pay half the price.
Holders of the Gliwice Resident’s Card (Gliwicka Karta Mieszkańca) pay PLN 10 at all branches. Ticket prices may depend on the current temporary exhibition; participants in the ‘Rodzina 3+’ (Family 3+) and ‘Gliwicki Senior’ programmes enter free on Sundays.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: not available
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: not available
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
Stairs lead to the Villa Caro from ul. Studziennej; there is no ramp, lift or toilet adapted for wheelchair users. The Piast Castle has a ramp and a platform, but only the exhibition on the ground floor is available to wheelchair users. The Branch of Artistic Casting has a lift and toilets for people with disabilities, and the House of Memory of Upper Silesian Jews has a ground-level entrance from the cemetery side and a toilet. There are no induction loops or PJM interpreter; at the Villa Caro a staff member helps in the main hall. The museum provides audio recordings for people with visual impairments. Entry with an assistance dog is possible.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | 30 zł · Family ticket for the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Participants in the ‘Rodzina 3+’ programme receive a 50% discount. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
The Education Department runs the project ‘Mały Muzealnik’ (Little Museum Keeper) and the ‘Muzeum dla dzieci’ (Museum for Children) workshop trails; a family ticket is available, and on Sundays parents with children get 50% off.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Public parking spaces are available around the Villa Caro; exceptionally, after prior arrangement by phone, parking in front of the building is possible.
The entrance to the Villa Caro is from ul. Studziennej.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum runs its own bookshop with publications.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group visits, guided tours and museum lessons are booked by phone. The museum runs museum lessons, workshops and educational projects for schools and children. |
