Museum of Katowice History at Nikiszowiec

Top choice in Katowice


This branch of Katowice's museum, an ethnographic exploration of working-class and industrial life in Upper Silesia, lies in the distinctive suburb of Nikiszowiec, 6km southeast of the city centre. The entire district is a unique estate created for the families of the miners who worked a nearby shaft between 1908 and 1924. Comprising nine red-brick blocks interconnected by gateways, the complex was designed to be self-sufficient, with shops, restaurants, a swimming pool, a hospital, a school and a detention centre.

Take bus 30 and alight at the Nikiszowiec Szpital stop.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Katowice attractions

1. Silesian Museum

2.46 MILES

A symbol of Katowice's transition from a centre of heavy industry to one of culture, the Silesian Museum sits in an ingeniously repurposed coal mine in…

2. Archdiocesan Museum

2.86 MILES

Spread over two floors, this museum showcases sacral art from the late 14th century to the present day, including some beautiful Gothic altarpieces. Entry…

3. Cathedral of Christ the King

2.86 MILES

With a base measuring 89m by 53m, this is Poland's largest cathedral. Erected between 1927 and 1955, the neoclassical sandstone basilica's progress was…

4. Rynek

2.88 MILES

The city's central market square is not lined with historical burghers' houses as you’d find elsewhere in Silesia, but is instead encircled by drab…

5. Spodek

2.95 MILES

Built of reinforced concrete between 1964 and 1971, Spodek – which means 'saucer' – really does look like a UFO has landed just north of central Katowice…

7. Cloud Scraper

3.11 MILES

This blocky, 14-storey, 60m-high apartment building was Poland’s tallest building from 1934 until 1955. Considered the purest example of functionalism in…

8. Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park

6 MILES

This sprawling open-air museum contains scores of traditional wooden buildings spread over 20 hectares, representing architectural styles from Upper…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "poland/katowice/attractions/museum-of-katowice-history-at-nikiszowiec/a/poi-sig/1422682/360273",
      "destination": "Katowice",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Poland",
      "city": "Katowice",
      "position": "superzone"
    }