Museum of Old Trade in Świdnica

The Museum of Old Trade in Świdnica is housed in the town's town hall and tells the story of trade, weights and measures used by merchants in the past. It is one of the few institutions in the region devoted directly to the history of trade, and its greatest asset is the hall itself, where the collections are displayed.

Founding of the museum

The museum was established in 1966 and has been devoted to the history of trade in Świdnica since its beginnings. Today it is run by the Municipality of Świdnica.

Councillors' Hall in the town hall

The institution occupies rooms in the Świdnica town hall, including the Councillors' Hall, a late Gothic chamber where the town council once met. The hall has a cross-ribbed vault with polychrome decoration dating from around 1538, which makes it a historic monument in its own right, inside another historic monument.

Departments and collections

The exhibition is divided into four departments: the Department of the History of Świdnica, the Department of Old Trade, the Metrology Department and the Educational Department. The collections include old glass and ceramic packaging, shop fittings, measuring instruments, scales and measuring tools, historical documents, and postcards from the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum also displays reproductions of tombstones of the Silesian Piasts.

Practical information

• The museum operates in the town hall building in Świdnica, near the Cathedral of St Stanislaus and St Wenceslaus and the Krzeszów Abbots' Palace in Świdnica
• It is worth checking the museum's website for current opening hours and visiting rules before a visit
• A visit covers the Councillors' Hall and the exhibitions of the four thematic departments