Egzotarium in Sosnowiec

The Egzotarium in Sosnowiec (pronounced roughly "sos-NO-vyets") is a combined zoo and botanical garden housed in a striking glass building in southern Poland. Officially the Ecological Education Center – Egzotarium, it brings together aquariums, reptiles, amphibians, tropical birds and a palm house with three climate zones. If you are looking for things to do in the Katowice area with kids, or a rainy-day plan, it is one of the best options in the region.

Where it is and how to get there

Sosnowiec sits right next to Katowice in the Upper Silesian metropolitan area; the Egzotarium is only about 6 km (4 miles) from central Katowice and about 21 km from Katowice Airport. Kraków is roughly an hour away by car or train. The site is at Piłsudskiego Street 116, around 1.5 km from Sosnowiec Główny railway station. The nearest stop, "Egzotarium Sosnowiec", is served by trams 21 and 26 and buses 154, 808, 813, 835 and M4. Drivers can use a small car park along Kresowa Street or a larger one by the Biodiversity Park.

A short history

The original exotarium opened in the 1950s (built 1954–1956) in a city park, created by local nature enthusiasts. After more than six decades the old pavilion was demolished in 2020, and the new building opened on December 2, 2023. Some plants from the old palm house, including a date palm, a banana plant and an American agave, were moved into the new one.

What to see

The route runs over three levels:

• Lower level: large aquariums with native Polish fish such as pike, tench and bream alongside exotic species like silver arowana and pacu, plus terrariums with reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
• Ground floor – Palm House: a Mediterranean zone (Cuban iguanas, steppe tortoises), a desert zone with cacti, succulents and Mexican beaded lizards, and a tropical rainforest zone with macaws and toucans.
• Upper level: more reptiles, including the spectacled caiman that serves as the Egzotarium's mascot, boas, reticulated pythons and anacondas, plus a display of skeleton replicas of extinct and endangered animals.

There is a café and a gift shop, and the center runs workshops, feeding demonstrations and children's birthday parties.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; the ticket office closes at 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays and on several public holidays, including November 1 and December 24–25.
• Online tickets: 37 PLN standard, 27 PLN reduced, 95 PLN family (four people, maximum two adults). Tickets at the desk cost 2 PLN more.
• Children under 3 and seniors aged 75+ enter free.

Is it worth visiting? For families, yes: allow 1.5–2 hours. Guided tours (about an hour, in Polish) must be booked in advance; labels are mainly in Polish, so a translation app helps.

Nearby

Combine your visit with a walk in the adjoining Biodiversity Park, the Schoen Palace museum in Sosnowiec, Będzin Castle, or the Pogoria lakes in neighboring Dąbrowa Górnicza.