The Lublin Open Air Village Museum located in the valley of Czechówka River is one of the biggest open air museums in Poland. Owing to its rich architecture, exhibits and also the concern of intangible heritage of the region, it shows the cultural diversity of the province. It gathers items related to the former life in the village, in the manor and in the small town. It also preserves the knowledge about customs, rituals, traditions and everyday work of people living in the past.

The exhibition is divided into sectors reflecting the landscape and ethnographic diversification of Lublin region: Lublin Upland, Roztocze, Vistula Region, Podlasie and Bug Region, manorial and provincial town sectors.

You can meet the former village lifestyle while visiting Lublin Upland (i.a. a windmill from Zygmuntów – the first object which was transferred to the Museum) and Roztocze.  Besides, in the second mentioned sector there is a Greek-Catholic church from Tarnoszyn. The main object of the manorial sector is the 18th century manor from Żyrzyn  (with the interiors dedicated to mid-wealthy land-owning gentry) located nearly in the heart of the exposition and surrounded by a picturesque garden.  Charming landscape of Vistula Region and Podlasie  encourages to walk and rest in the near of water. The nature in our Museum not only creates a harmonic landscape but it is also a vital element which enriches the exposition.

Without any hesitation, the town sector, a model of provincial small town from the 1930s,  is an important attraction. The first stage of the project entitled “Provincial Town of Central Europe in the Open Air Village Museum in Lublin” was being executed between 2010-2013. It involves a market square and buildings located to the north of the square. Guests of the Museum can visit expositions of  hairdresser’s, ironmonger’s shop, Jewish kitchen, post office, tobacconist’s, beer house, mayor’s house and three workshops: wheelwright’s,  cobbler’s and craftsman’s making shoe uppers. Roman Catholic church complex is also a part of the abovementioned sector (i.a. with a church from Matczyn, presbytery from Żeszczynka).

The exposition is not only a tangible reminder of the past but it is also a history of common people presented in reconstructed interiors. Owing to these memories the interiors have a unique individual character. Visiting other sectors and objects guests can get the impression that the time has just stopped. It may become a chance to experience a special journey and meet the past.

Apart from permanent exposition our Museum offers: temporary expositions, events related to farm and ritual calendar in a village, historical reconstructions, educational activities and other cultural events.

www.skansen.lublin.pl