Discover Wałbrzych: the Palm House and mining history

Wałbrzych offers travelers different ways to explore architecture and mining history. The Palm House stands out for its construction and interior cladding; at Stara Kopalnia, the focus is on a visitor route through a machine house, historic machinery, a permanent exhibition and interactive stations. When deciding what to visit, consider whether you are more interested in buildings and materials, technical installations, a range of mining topics or hands-on activities.

The Palm House: glass, metal and Mount Etna lava

The Palm House in Wałbrzych is a glass-and-metal building constructed in the early 20th century. Its interiors are clad in solidified lava from Mount Etna. This gives the building two clearly distinct material layers: glass and metal define the structure, while the lava adds distinctive interior cladding. If you are interested in architecture, you can consider the construction and interior as parts of a unified design. Unlike Stara Kopalnia, the focus here is on a building and its materials; there, machinery and exhibition content offer an introduction to mining history.

Stara Kopalnia: the “Julia” shaft machine house

The visitor route at Stara Kopalnia passes through the machine house of the “Julia” shaft, where two historic electric hoisting machines and power converters were in operation from 1911 until the mine closed. This gives the tour a specific technical focus: the shaft, machine house and equipment are clearly identified, while the period of operation places the technology in the mine’s history. If you are particularly interested in industrial technology, this section offers a precise introduction through specific installations rather than just a general topic.

Permanent exhibition: different aspects of mining

The permanent exhibition at Stara Kopalnia presents historic maps and memorabilia related to surveying and lighting, mine-rescue items and mining traditions, miners’ work equipment, and a mine control room. Together, these exhibits cover several aspects of mining work: orientation and lighting, rescue, tradition, equipment and a control room. Unlike the route through the machine house, which brings together specific technology and its period of operation, the exhibition combines a range of topics and objects. If you would like a broader look at mining history, this variety of content is a distinct focus.

SOWA: interactive stations to explore

SOWA – Strefa Odkrywania, Wyobraźni i Aktywności at Stara Kopalnia is a small science, experience and workshop center. It has nearly 30 interactive exhibition stations across more than 500 m². Visitors can explore independently, think logically and solve puzzles. Here, the emphasis is not solely on viewing historic installations or objects, but also on exploring for yourself at interactive stations. If you are interested in activities that involve thinking and trying things out, SOWA differs clearly from the more object-focused permanent exhibition.

These four attractions differ in the kind of visit they offer: at the Palm House, you explore architecture and materials; at the “Julia” shaft, you encounter historic hoisting machinery; the permanent exhibition covers several mining topics; and SOWA offers activities to tackle independently. Use these differences to guide your choices in Wałbrzych: architecture, technology, a broad range of topics or interaction each offers a different focus.

Discover more destinations: Sokołowsko, Boguszów-Gorce, Zagórze Śląskie, Głuszyca, Głuszyca Górna, Dziećmorowice, Unisław Śląski, Mieroszów

For the regional travel overview: Wałbrzyski.