Nysa District Museum

The Nysa District Museum is the oldest museum in Opole Silesia – it has existed since 1897 and since 1984 has occupied the Baroque Bishops' Palace, the former residence of the bishops of Wrocław, who were also dukes of Nysa. Here you will find European painting, archaeology, militaria and an exhibition on the witch trials of the Nysa–Jeseník borderland. It is the best place to understand why Nysa was called the "Silesian Rome".

History of the museum

The museum was founded in 1897 by the Nysa Society of Art and Antiquities and placed under the patronage of the bishops of Wrocław. Before the Second World War its collection numbered about 33,000 objects. As the front approached, part of it was evacuated to the Jeseník area, and what remained in the building burned in March 1945. After the war the collection was rebuilt almost from scratch – holdings were brought back from Czechoslovakia, objects from Nysa's churches were added, and the first exhibition opened in 1947.

The Bishops' Palace

Construction of a residence independent of the castle was probably begun in 1620 by Bishop Archduke Charles of Habsburg, but his death in 1624 halted the work for a long time. In 1722–1729 a fourth wing designed by the Jesuit Christoph Tausch closed the quadrangle. In 1769 King Frederick II of Prussia and Emperor Joseph II met here – a scene later painted by Adolph Menzel. Jérôme Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, also stayed in the palace.

What to see

• Prehistory of the Nysa region and the material culture of medieval Nysa.
• Gallery of Western European painting, 16th–19th centuries.
• Decorative arts and mementoes of the old burgher town.
• Militaria in the Bazyli Rogowski room.
• Witch trials in the Nysa–Jeseník borderland – one of the darkest chapters of the region's history.

Tripto tips

From 1 October to 31 March the museum is open Tuesday to Friday 9:00–15:45 (last entry 14:45) and Saturday 10:00–15:00; on Sundays only for groups booked by Wednesday, closed on Mondays. From April to September it also opens on Sundays and stays open until 17:30 on Wednesdays. Note: the museum is closed on 19–21 October 2026.

A standard ticket costs PLN 20, reduced PLN 15, with the Large Family Card PLN 5; admission is free on Wednesdays. A guided tour of the whole exhibition costs PLN 80 (PLN 150 in English). Allow 1.5–2 hours. The museum is at ul. Biskupa Jarosława 11, a few minutes' walk from the market square, near the Triton Fountain and the Basilica of St James and St Agnes. With children, start with archaeology and militaria and leave the witch-trial exhibition for older visitors.