Zabytkowa Kopalnia Srebra

About the museum

Tarnowskie Góry grew up thanks to deposits of silver-bearing galena. According to tradition, at the end of the 15th century a ploughing peasant named Jan, called “Rybka”, discovered lead ore, which attracted numerous diggers and gave rise to a mining settlement. In the mid-16th century the town was the largest producer of galena in this part of Europe, and the “Ordunek Gorny” of 1528 is the first document in which the name of the town appears.

The state mine Fryderyk was opened in 1784, after silver-bearing deposits were discovered in the area of Bobrowniki Śląskie. In 1788 the first steam engine in Upper Silesia was put into operation here; it had been brought from Wales and drained the underground workings. News of it attracted curious visitors from all over Europe, and their entries in the “Golden Book” bear witness to the beginnings of industrial tourism.

Today tourists visit a 1,740-metre route underground with a guide, and part of the way is covered by boat along the underground river. The Zabytkowa Kopalnia Srebra (Historic Silver Mine) is part of the site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On the surface you can see an open-air museum of steam engines, a gallery under a dome and a working narrow-gauge heritage railway.

Highlights

• Underground guided route with a boat ride through the workings
• Open-air museum of steam engines and relics of the first steam engine in Upper Silesia
• Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List
• Audio guide in several languages, including Polish Sign Language

Permanent exhibitions

• Podziemna wyprawa górnicza – w Królestwie Srebra – Guided tour of the underground route of the former mine, with a boat ride and a multimedia exhibition on mining.
• Skansen maszyn parowych – Open-air exhibition of steam engines on the mine grounds, accessible without a guide.

Founded

1976

Operated by

Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Ziemi Tarnogórskiej

Admission & discounts

The mine tour with audio guide, the open-air steam engine museum and the Galeria pod Kopułą (Gallery under the Dome) are free during opening hours. A ticket for one of the attractions gives reduced rates for 7 days in the “Miasta Gwarków” (Cities of Miners) programme.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The route in the Historic Silver Mine is accessible to people with various disabilities, including mobility disabilities; the route in the Czarny Pstrąg Adit is not accessible. The free audio guide app has a Polish Sign Language version.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The mine route has no age limit (children from the age of 4 may enter the Czarny Pstrąg Adit). Family tickets are available, as well as the school programme “W poszukiwaniu srebra” (In Search of Silver) and the educational exhibition “Maszynownia Żywiołów” with a supervising animator.

Getting there & parking

The mine is at ul. Szczęść Boże 81; the Srebrny Ekspres heritage railway runs on the site.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

The mine building houses the restaurant “Szynk na Grubie”, serving Silesian cuisine.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit