National Museum in Wrocław

What makes it special

Silesian stone sculpture from the 12th to the 16th century fills the medieval rooms, with carved reliefs among the figures. Look for the stone tomb of Prince Henry IV Probus, one of the collection's most precious pieces, and for early 15th-century work in gold and silver.

Beyond the medieval rooms the collection runs on to Silesian, Polish and European painting. Pieter Brueghel the Younger's Winter Landscape with Skaters and a Bird Trap is among the pictures to look for.

A separate display, Miracle-Workers, gathers decorative art, art of the Orient, and contemporary ceramics and glass. The heavy building around it all went up in the 1880s, in the Northern Neo-Renaissance style, for the provincial government of Silesia, and became a museum after the war.

Visiting

Essential once you have your ticket: the cloakroom, which costs nothing, takes coats and bags. Large backpacks are expected to go there or into lockers, and food and drink stay out of the galleries.

Go up to the first floor first, to the Silesian stone sculpture, while you are fresh. Then move on to the painting galleries and the Miracle-Workers display.

Before or after, walk round the outside of the building. Statues stand around it, among them a 19th-century Medusa and, on the river side, a modern sculpture of King Arthur's knights.

Guided or on your own

Guided tours last about an hour and are led by the museum's education staff, and the museum asks you to arrange one before your visit. Book one for more context on Silesian art; for the highlights alone, go round on your own.

Tips

Keep your flash off, since it is restricted to protect the works even where photography is allowed. If you would rather a calmer pace than a free day, a weekday late morning suits.

For the best view of the building itself, cross to the far bank of the Odra.