Museum of Folk Architecture, Open-air ethnographic museum in Olsztynek, Poland
The Museum of Folk Architecture is an open-air museum displaying 79 traditional wooden buildings from the Warmia, Masuria, and former East Prussia regions. The collection includes residential homes, churches, and workshops that show how people built and lived in these areas.
The museum was founded in 1913 when 12 buildings were transferred from an architecture museum in Konigsberg to establish a permanent collection. After World War II, the collection expanded with additional structures from surrounding rural areas.
The buildings show how rural people lived and worked, with homes, churches, and workshops furnished with everyday items from past centuries. You can see how family life, craftsmanship, and faith were closely connected in these communities.
Visiting works best on foot or by bicycle since the buildings are spread across a large area. Good walking shoes are important, especially in wet weather, and you should allow plenty of time to explore.
The site also includes a small zoo featuring regional animals and maintained gardens that show how people shaped their surroundings. These additions offer a practical view of how daily life functioned in these communities.
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