Lublin Open Air Village Museum
Lubelskie
The Lublin Open Air Village Museum is a unique ethnographic museum located in Lublin, Poland, dedicated to preserving and showcasing the traditional rural architecture and cultural heritage of the historic Lublin Voivodeship. Established as an independent institution in 1970, the museum spans approximately 27 hectares in the Sławin district, featuring authentic wooden and brick buildings relocated from various parts of the region. The exhibition is divided into seven sectors representing different ethnographic and physiographic areas, including Wyżyna Lubelska, Roztocze, Powiśle Lubelskie, Podlasie, Nadbuża, as well as manor and town sectors. Visitors can explore a variety of structures such as windmills, smithies, chapels, farmsteads, a Greek Catholic church with a bell tower, and reconstructed townscapes including a pre-WWII market square with a town hall and police station. The museum also hosts cultural events and traditional celebrations, such as Palm Sunday processions, enhancing the immersive experience. Its extensive collection and authentic settings offer a vivid insight into the rural life and folk traditions of eastern Poland, making it a significant cultural and educational destination.
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Tip: The museum is open year-round with longer hours from May to September (9:00–19:00). Visiting during spring or summer allows enjoying outdoor exhibits and cultural events like traditional festivals. It is advisable to check the official website for event schedules and consider booking guided tours or group visits in advance. Discounts may be available for students, seniors, and groups. Comfortable footwear is recommended due to the large outdoor area.
Interesting facts
- •The museum covers about 27 hectares and is divided into seven ethnographic sectors representing different regions of the historic Lublin Voivodeship.
- •It includes a Greek Catholic church from Tarnoszyn with a bell tower and a small cemetery lapidarium.
- •The manor sector features an 18th-century manor house from Żyrzyn with a permanent exhibition illustrating the lifestyle of a moderately wealthy landowner.
- •In 2013, the museum completed a reconstruction of a pre-WWII town including a town hall, police station, ice cream parlor, and a Jewish cadyk's house.
- •The museum grounds have been used as filming locations for several Polish films such as 'Battle of Warsaw 1920' and 'Wołyń'.
- •A tragic fire in 2005 destroyed a barn and part of a cowshed in one of the farmsteads.
History
The museum originated in 1960 as a Folk Architecture Department within the Regional Museum in Lublin and became an independent open-air museum in 1970.
Initially planned for the Kalinowszczyzna district, it was relocated to a larger 27-hectare site in Sławin in 1975.
The first object, a windmill from Zygmuntów, was moved in 1976, and the first sector opened in 1979.
Over the decades, the museum expanded its collection by relocating historic buildings from various parts of the former Lublin Voivodeship, organizing them into ethnographic sectors.
In the early 2000s, reconstructions of townscapes and exhibitions of manor houses were added, enriching the visitor experience.
The museum has also served as a filming location for notable Polish films, reflecting its cultural importance.
Place Guide
Wyżyna Lubelska Sector
This sector features traditional rural buildings such as a windmill, smithy, oil mill, chapel, well, aviary, a free-standing cottage, and four peasant farmsteads typical of the Lublin Upland region.
Roztocze Sector
Showcases ethnographic buildings from the Roztocze region including a smithy, brewery, Greek Catholic church with bell tower and small cemetery lapidarium, chapels, five farmsteads and two free-standing cottages.
Manor Sectormid-18th century
Contains two manor houses, a four-room building, two granaries, a gate, a cross, and two statues. It includes an exhibition of a moderately wealthy landowner's manor house from the mid-18th century.
Town Sector
Recreates a small town environment with a church and bell tower, a large cemetery lapidarium with a gate, a statue, a circular building, a parsonage, a parsonage granary, a dovecote, and a well.
Powiśle Sector
Includes two chapels, an oak trunk with a cross, six farmsteads, two hayracks, and a manor house housing the museum's offices.
Podlasie Sector1936
Features a fire station building from Bedlno, reflecting the equipment of the Volunteer Fire Brigade from 1936.
Nadbuża Sector
Contains various traditional rural buildings representing the Nadbuża region.
Contact
Phone: 81 533 85 13
