Museum of Railways in Silesia

The Museum of Railways in Silesia in Jaworzyna Śląska is a private museum operating on the grounds of a historic, 19-stall roundhouse, built between 1906 and 1907, on Towarowa street. It holds the largest collection of rolling stock in Poland.

From enthusiasts' collections to a museum

From 1992 onwards, PKP (Polish State Railways) employees, together with the Wrocław Railway Enthusiasts' Club, gathered the collection of exhibits. The museum officially began operating in 2004. Since 2005 it has been under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and in 2016 it became a branch of the Foundation for the Protection of Silesian Industrial Heritage.

Rolling stock on the museum grounds

The museum grounds cover more than 2.5 hectares with 3 kilometres of track. The collection includes more than 150 historic railway vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries, including 50 steam, diesel and electric locomotives and more than 100 carriages and specialist vehicles. Among the exhibits are historic steam locomotives, M20 Warsaw draisines, the Polish locomotives 409Da-1 and 410D-51, and a Deutz OMZ 117R diesel locomotive from 1940, described as the oldest operational diesel locomotive in Poland. A historic railway model layout also stands on the museum grounds.

Seven themed spaces

The exhibitions present the history of the railway from the 19th century to the era of the Polish People's Republic in seven themed spaces, including a workshop with an ODRA mainframe computer.

Rides on historic rolling stock

The museum runs a historic railway workshop and organises rides on historic rolling stock, called the Steam Locomotive Route, at weekends. Since 2011 an annual Steam Locomotive Gala has also been held here. A WARS restaurant carriage is available on site, and the offer also includes educational activities that engage the local community.

Nearby

Not far away stand the Panków Castle Ruins and the palace in Stanowice. In Jaworzyna Śląska itself it is worth visiting the St Joseph the Betrothed Church in Jaworzyna Śląska, and the Museum of Industry and Railways in Silesia also operates nearby.

Practical information

• Address: Towarowa 4 street, Jaworzyna Śląska, Świdnica County
• Getting there: the grounds of the former roundhouse, the oldest railway junction in Lower Silesia, accessible by train or car
• What to expect: historic rolling stock in the open air, rides on historic rolling stock at weekends; it is worth checking opening hours before a visit