Museum of Carriages and Harnesses in Galowice

The Museum of Carriages and Harnesses in Galowice is housed in a historic, half-timbered granary from 1730, standing on the grounds of the former estate of the von Lieres und Wilkau family, in the Żórawina municipality near Wrocław. The institution has operated since 2011 and holds one of the largest collections of old horse-drawn vehicles in the region.

A historic granary as the seat

The museum building is part of a former farmstead complex, erected in half-timbered construction in 1730. It stands on land that previously belonged to the von Lieres und Wilkau family, the former owners of the estate in Galowice.

More than fifty carriages

The museum's collection includes more than fifty vehicles, from snow sledges, including an example from the Lipowicz factory in Vilnius, through carriages and gigs, to a historic horse-drawn fire engine. The collection is complemented by cavalry saddles, harnesses and bridles, and items connected with travel in the past, such as trunks, suitcases, travel toiletry sets, writing desks and strongboxes. Among the exhibits there is also a field kitchen from 1905. A separate section of the exhibition is devoted to Silesian villages and the history of Galowice itself.

Herb garden and outdoor displays

An herb garden with botanical descriptions of the individual plants has been arranged next to the museum buildings. In favourable weather, outdoor displays connected with the theme of the collection are also organised.

Seasonal visiting hours

The museum operates seasonally. From March to October it welcomes individual visitors, while in winter, from November to February, it is available only to organised groups of at least ten people.

Nearby: manor houses and palaces near Wrocław

Within a radius of a few kilometres of Galowice are further sites connected with the region's former landed estates, including the Manor House in Ślęza and the neighbouring Topacz Motoring Museum, and a little further away the Magnice Palace.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Leśna 5, Galowice, Żórawina municipality, Wrocław County
• Hours according to the museum's website: March-October Tuesday-Friday 9:00-15:00, Saturday-Sunday 10:00-16:00; November-February organised groups of ten or more only; it is worth checking the current schedule on the museum's website before a visit
• What to expect: a historic granary with a collection of more than fifty carriages, sledges and gigs, a section devoted to Silesian villages, and an herb garden next to the buildings