Center for Civic and Patriotic Thoughts

The Patriotic and Civil Thought Center in Kielce is located in the building of the former prison. The multimedia presentations and recreated prison cells tell the story of the people who were imprisoned there from the November Uprising to times after World War II.

The center is a museum and didactic facility. Opened since 2012, it replaced the National Memorial Museum that functioned thanks to the social support. The building of the former bishop stables was converted into the prison in 1816. Polish patriots and uprising participants were transferred there by the Tsar authorities. During the interwar period, political prison had been functioning there and was seized by Gestapo during World War II. The NKVD prison which was created after the war, in August 1945 was attacked by the guerrilla units, what resulted in releasing of about 350 Home Army members. The prison had been functioning until the 1970s.

The Patriotic and Civil Thought Center consists of the recreated prison cells from World War II - detention cell, execution wall, room used for hanging and Wybraniecka Hall with recreated torture method called 'tram'. The exhibitions also display the souvenirs from different independence uprisings during the occupation, and items related to the prisoners from the war and afterwar period.