Old Mine Science and Art Centre, Wałbrzych

The last cart of coal came up from the Julia mine on 20 September 1996, and less than two decades later the site reopened as one of Poland's largest industrial heritage centres. At the Old Mine (Stara Kopalnia) in Wałbrzych you are often guided by former miners, and the route takes in the chain-hung changing room, the lamp room, the winding engine house, a viewing tower and an underground tunnel. It pairs very well with a visit to Książ Castle and the Palm House.

History: from "Fuchs" to "Thorez"

The mine was registered in 1770 under the name "Fuchs", created by merging small pits that had worked the area since the 16th century. The breakthrough came in 1867 with the opening of the "Julius" shaft (today "Julia"), which eventually reached a depth of 611 m; two years later came the "Ida" shaft, now "Sobótka". After 1945 the mine came under Polish management as "Julia"; from 1950 to 1993 it was named after the French communist leader Maurice Thorez, before reverting to its old name. It produced between 650,000 and 800,000 tonnes of coal a year. Unprofitable, it was put into liquidation in 1990.

From museum to science and art centre

A Museum of Industry and Technology has operated here since 1999, and in 2004 a group of 14 mine buildings was added to the heritage register. After a major redevelopment, the Old Mine Science and Art Centre opened on 9 November 2014 and a year later joined the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). Today it is a cultural institution with a museum, a contemporary art gallery, a centre for studio ceramics, a small science centre called SOWA and the Sztygarówka café.

What to see

• The "Julia" and "Sobótka" shaft towers, built in brick and resembling defensive bastions. This type is known as a Malakoff tower, after the fort in Sevastopol from the Crimean War.
• The "Julia" winding engine house with two electric winding engines that ran from 1911 until the mine closed.
• The chain changing room, where miners hoisted their clothes up to the ceiling, plus the lamp room with the control room.
• A viewing tower built on the site of a former cooling tower.
• The underground route: a training gallery and a spoil-haulage tunnel with machines for cutting and loading coal.
• The coal processing plant with its full sequence: a sorting plant from 1888, washery and flotation.

Did you know?

In 1791 work began here on the Fox Adit (Lisia Sztolnia), which from 1794 was flooded to a depth of about 1 m so that coal could be shipped out by boat. It was the first underground gallery on the European continent adapted for this kind of transport. The idea came from Friedrich Wilhelm von Reden, head of the Higher Mining Office in Wrocław, who rode in the first boat himself at the opening on 18 September 1794. A model of the adit is shown on the tour.

Opening hours and tickets

Visits are guided only, with tours starting on the hour. For most of the year tours run daily from 10:00, with the last entry at 16:00; in the summer holidays the last entry on Fridays and Saturdays is at 17:00. A standard ticket costs PLN 49, reduced PLN 39 and a family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) PLN 140; night tours cost PLN 69. Tickets can be bought online. Prices are taken from the Old Mine's price list as of October 2026; check the website for updates before you go.

Tripto tip

Allow 2–2.5 hours for the guided tour plus a little time on the viewing tower. Wear comfortable shoes and bring an extra layer, as the underground tunnel is cooler than the surface. If you also plan to see Książ Castle and the Palm House, look at the combined Explore Wałbrzych ticket, which requires booking your visit time by phone in advance. The Old Mine is at ul. Piotra Wysockiego 29, a few minutes' drive from central Wałbrzych.