Since 1957, the museum has been located in the former Dominican monastery, which was constructed in mid-17th century through adapting and expanding the tenement gifted to the Dominicans by the burgher Kowaliński. After the first partition of Poland and the closing of the monastery (1777), it became the seat of the Austrian starostwo in 1783, and the seat of the independent Polish Republic starost since 1918. The current interior of the attic was shaped as a result of adapting the previously unused space, carried out in 2013-2014 with European funds. However, the historical structure of the roof truss from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries has been preserved, replacing only the most deteriorated elements. A new ceiling and stairwell were constructed then. This spaces houses the temporary exhibitions and is used for various forms of educational activities organised by the museum. The museum is a local cultural institution of the city of Bochnia. Currently, it has more than 20 thousand exhibits in the following departments: archaeological, artistic-historical, ethnographic, historical, and the natural science department. Some of them count among nationally important historical objects. Others speak of the rich history of the royal-mining city (founded 1253) and the region.