Muzeum Dawnego Kupiectwa w Świdnicy

Muzeum Dawnego Kupiectwa w Świdnicy is a history museum housed in a protected building at Marktplatz 37 dedicated to the commercial history of the region. Four departments display collections featuring reconstructed shops, measuring devices, and other objects from the merchant trade.

The museum was established in 1966 and displays its collection in a Gothic council hall decorated with frescoes dating from 1538. These decorative elements come from a period when the town hall was a center of local authority and commerce.

The museum displays merchant culture through recreated shops, taverns, and pharmacies that show how traders lived and worked in past times. The displayed objects tell the story of daily habits and routines that shaped life in these commercial spaces.

The museum has different opening hours on weekdays and weekends, so it is best to check exact times before visiting. The exhibits are spread through the interior of the historic building and a typical visit takes about one to two hours to see.

The museum houses a rare scale made by Johann Rademacher with a special parallel guidance system that is unique in the world. This scale shows the technical sophistication of earlier merchant instruments.