Szyb Wilson Gallery in Katowice

The Szyb Wilson Gallery at 1 Oswobodzenia Street in Katowice's Janów-Nikiszowiec district occupies the former miners' assembly hall and bathhouse of the Wilson shafts of the Wieczorek coal mine. It has been open since 2001, and with nearly 2,500 m² of exhibition space it is regarded as the largest private art gallery in Poland; admission to the exhibitions is free.

History: from Richthofen to Wilson

Mining here goes back to 1826, when Aleksander Mieroszewski, the last entailed lord of Mysłowice, acquired the rights to the Morgenroth (Dawn) mining field. In 1833–1835 most of the shares passed to the Wrocław firm Georg von Giesches Erben, which in 1883 merged the surrounding fields into the Giesche mine, renamed Wieczorek after the war. In 1864 two twin shafts, Richthofen and Hulda, were sunk here, and in 1935 they were renamed Wilson I and Wilson II in honour of US President Woodrow Wilson. The gallery was founded in the assembly hall and bathhouse buildings by Monika Paca-Bros and Johann Bros, combining art with the social renewal of the district.

What to see

The space is divided into three halls: the Small, Medium and Large Gallery. The tall halls with roof trusses and huge windows matter here as much as the paintings. The programme focuses on promoting young, bold painters, printmakers, photographers and performers, and temporary exhibitions change throughout the year. The gallery also has its own collection, including works by Karol Wieczorek, Andrzej Urbanowicz, Erwin Sówka and the old Janów Group. Its best-known event is the international Art Naif Festival, devoted to naive art and held in summer. In 2026 the gallery staged the fourth edition of its New Avant-Garde contemporary art review.

Tripto tips

• The gallery is open daily 9:00–19:00, and admission is free. Check the current programme on the gallery's website before you go, as temporary exhibitions change often.
• Allow 1–2 hours for your visit. There is free parking at the gallery, and information is available in Polish, English and German.
• Combine your visit with a walk around neighbouring Nikiszowiec, which lies in the same district. The gallery is part of the Industrial Monuments Route of the Silesian Voivodeship.