Museum of Industrial History

The museum occupies a large woollen factory built in 1824 by Adolf Fiedler. The factory worked for over a hundred years. It is an impressive building in a Classical style, five-storeys high in two ranges forming an ‘L’ shape. It is built of stone with a timber structure. By 1826 it had 477 workers and operated hand looms and experimental power looms. A steam engine was installed and by 1888 it had three steam engines and two waterwheels. Preservation began in 1981 and the museum opened in 1991. It now cares for some 12,000 objects. The galleries show steam engines and power looms, an embroidery machine, knitting machines from the 19th and 20th centuries and equipment from the early development of artificial fibres. Papermaking, printing and ceramics are also represented by large numbers of objects. There is an exceptional collection of over fifty pianos made by Polish companies from 1820 to 1940.