Located in Wdzydze Kiszewskie, in the beautiful landscapes of the Kashubian region in Poland, the Wdzydze Skansen (open-air museum) unfolds a rich tapestry of cultural and historical narratives. Established over a century ago, this outdoor museum captures the essence of Kashubian heritage, offering a vivid glimpse into the traditional life of the region. The Wdzydze Skansen is not just a museum, but a living testament to Poland’s vibrant folklore, all set against the stunning backdrop of pristine lakes and dense forests.
Visiting the museum in Wdzydze was a must-go for all children in primary schools in Gdansk. I recall this as a great one-day trip, and now it’s even better.
Brief History of the Museum
In 1906, Teodora and Izydor Gulgowski established the first open air museum in Poland. They bought an XVIIIth century cottage of a rich peasant from a local farmer, and established the museum. The collection consisted of household and farm objects, precious headdresses, glass paintings and pottery.
In 1929 Teodora Gulgowska sells the collection of the Kashubian Museum in Wdzydze and a small plot of land on which the Museum was located to Poland. Gulgowska remains guardian of the museum on behalf of the Conservator of Monuments. Three years later, the Museum is destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1936.
Since 1952, old buildings from nearby villages have been moved to the museum. This included not only houses or rural buildings, but also a school and church.
Wdzydze Skansen Today
Today, the Wdzydze Skansen occupies almost 22 ha of area, located at the bank of the Golun lake. It consists of 52 buildings presenting the regional architecture: cottages, a school, manors, smithy, windmills, churches, farm buildings and craftsmen’s workshops. The reconstructed interiors are equipped with authentic furniture.
All buildings are described both in Polish and English. There is one special building, where you are encouraged to use all the equipment on display.
Except for just visiting the museum, there are also several workshops organised on site. Those include knitting, glass painting, paper flowers and Kashubian language.
Visiting Skansen in Wdzydze
Tickets
Regular – 22 PLN / Concessionary – 16PLN / Special – 10PLN
Days on which access to the museum’s fixed exhibition is free:
1) Thursdays – except 02.05.2024, 30.05.2024, 15.08.2024 and 26.12.2024;
2) Tuesdays:- 30.04.2024; 28.05.2024; 13.08.2024; 24.12.2024.
CLOSED
New Year’s Day, Epiphany, Easter Sunday,
All Saints’ Day (1st of November), Independence Day (11th of November), Christmas.
Opening Hours
January, February, March: 10:00 – 15:00 Monday to Friday
April: 9:00 – 16:00 Tuesday to Sunday
May, June: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday,
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
July, August: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 Tuesday to Sunday
September, October: 9:00 – 16:00 Tuesday to Sunday
November, December: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Monday to Friday
The tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
In the ticket price, the visitor receives a parking space and a map leaflet for self-guided tours.
Visiting museum with dogs
The great news is that the museum is dogs-friendly. You are, however, asked not to allow dogs inside the buildings.
Getting from Gdansk to Wdzydze Museum
By Bus
Unfortunately, it is challenging to visit Wdzydze Open-air Museum from Gdansk, unless you have a car. The bus trip lasts about 2 hours, and there is only one bus that you may take if you want to make it a one-day trip. The bus leaves Gdansk at 8.20 am. The return bus leaves from Wdzydze at 7.14pm. There is also a bus at 4.20 pm. but you can neither visit the museum nor return to Gdansk on the same day.
Please note, that those connections are only available from middle June to the end of August.
By car
It takes about one hour to get from Gdansk to Wdzydze by car. It is not a highway, so be careful going through all the villages. There is a free parking at the museum.