Libiąż Regional Museum

What to expect

The Libiąż Regional Museum, named after Olga Cygankiewicz, is a community museum run by the Libiąż Culture Centre that documents the history and traditions of western Małopolska. It opened in 1992 and has borne the name of Olga Cygankiewicz, the driving force behind its foundation, since 1997. The collection numbers more than 550 exhibits, displayed thematically across five rooms.

Upstairs is a Regional Chamber gathering objects that convey the local character of the Libiąż community: furniture, craft products and textiles from the first half of the twentieth century, along with reproductions of paintings and artistic handicrafts. The holdings come from the Libiąż municipality, which takes in Libiąż, Żarki and Gromiec, and tell the story of the region’s traditions, history and culture from earlier times to the present. For an international visitor it is a small, off-the-beaten-track stop rather than a headline attraction.

Visiting in practice

The museum is opened to visitors by prior arrangement with the Libiąż Culture Centre, so you need to telephone ahead and book a time before travelling. About 45 minutes is enough to see the five rooms. Displays are in Polish.

Getting there

Libiąż lies about 50 km west of Krakow in Chrzanów county, on the route towards Oświęcim and Upper Silesia. By car the A4 motorway and local roads take around fifty minutes. Libiąż also has a railway station on the line from Krakow towards Oświęcim, which makes it reachable without a car.

Nearby

Traditional folk culture in a wider setting is shown at Krakow’s Ethnographic Museum. In nearby Kęty the Kłosiński Museum is worth a visit, and in Oświęcim the Castle Museum presents the history of the town.