Archdiocesan Museum in Katowice

The Archdiocesan Museum in Katowice is an institution dedicated to religious art, established in 1975 by the decision of Bishop Herbert Bednorz, with the aim of collecting and presenting artifacts related to the history of the Catholic Church and Upper Silesia. The museum's history dates back to the interwar period when part of the collection of sacred art was transferred to the Silesian Museum, then directed by Professor Tadeusz Dobrowolski. After World War II, many works were lost or ended up in other institutions, and despite the efforts of the bishop's curia, recovering the collections took many years. In 1980, the Church's collections returned to the Katowice curia, and the new museum building was consecrated in 1983. The museum's holdings include a rich array of artworks, such as medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque paintings, featuring renowned names like Raphael Sanzio and Jan Brueghel. The museum also boasts valuable collections of sculptures, liturgical vessels, historic vestments, and medals documenting events and personalities related to the history of the Church and the nation. Interestingly, the collections also include memorabilia associated with the Solidarity movement and regional cultural accents, such as parish banners and documents of Silesian community life. The museum in Katowice is the only one of its kind in the Silesian Voivodeship, and it is accompanied by the Fra Angelico Contemporary Art Gallery, which enriches the cultural offerings of the region.