The Museum of the Diocese of Bydgoszcz is located on the site of a former parish school building, on the square in front of the Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Nicholas.

The current building dates back to the 19th century. It is believed to have been built between 1834 and 1854 on the site of an old school building (dating from the 15th century, located on the west side of the church) to serve as a parish school. The establishment of the Bydgoszcz parish school dates back to the founding of the Bydgoszcz parish, that is, to around the mid-14th century. The parish school was likely established thanks to the charter of foundation granted to Bydgoszcz by King Casimir the Great on April 19, 1346. The school operated until the First Partition of Poland. Later, the building fell into disrepair.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a stable was built on this site, and between 1834 and 1854, the current building was erected in place of the stable. It initially served as housing for the parish vicars. After the war, the parish office was located here; in 1947, the building housed a parish kindergarten run by the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. In 1950, the building was taken over by the CARITAS Charitable Society. As a result of various pressures from the authorities at the time, the building was transferred to the Education Inspectorate for use. In the 1980s, the building housed the Primate’s Institute of Christian Culture.

Visitors can explore three exhibitions at the museum. The first is an exhibition dedicated to Bydgoszcz Cathedral. It features, among other items, artifacts from the Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Nicholas in Bydgoszcz. Among them are reliquaries containing the relics of St. Faustina and Blessed Michał Kozal, as well as the document establishing the Diocese of Bydgoszcz. The exhibition also features a copy of the painting “Our Lady with a Rose.” Also on display here is an angel weather vane that once crowned the western facade of Bydgoszcz Cathedral.

The second exhibition is dedicated to Pope Benedict XVI. Since 2012, the Ratzinger Studies Center has been operating in Bydgoszcz, established at the behest of Pope Benedict XVI himself. The center’s mission is to promote the teachings of Joseph Ratzinger—later Benedict XVI—in Poland and Central Europe. The museum has acquired memorabilia related to Benedict XVI (including photographs, a piuska, a cassock, and papal shoes), which are owned by the Ratzinger Studies Center. The gifts for the Center were donated at the behest of Benedict XVI by his personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein.

The third exhibition consists of a numismatic collection. It includes, among other items, commemorative coins related to important historical events, such as the pontificates of Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Francis.

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Museum of the Diocese of Bydgoszcz
10 Farna St.
85-101 Bydgoszcz

Opening hours:
Tuesday–Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Free admission
Contact number for groups:
509 340 694 (available Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)

Accessibility:
The exhibition on Benedict XVI is located on a steep upper floor and is not accessible to visitors with mobility impairments.
The exhibition on the Cathedral and numismatics, as well as the restrooms, are fully accessible

Director: Barbara Piotrowska

Museum of the Diocese of Bydgoszcz

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