History
Associated with the establishment of the Regional Museum in Kolbuszowa is the thriving three-year activity (1956-1959) of the J.M. Goslar Society for the Care of Natural and Cultural Monuments, one of whose most important tasks was the organisation of a museum facility. Particularly noteworthy is the work of three of its members: Dr Kazimierz Skowroński, the first president of the Society, Maciej Skowroński and Józef Niezgoda, which resulted in the opening of our institution on 26 April 1959. The nucleus of the ethnographic collection became exhibits that were the subject of the exhibition "Folk Art of the Lasowiak region", shown in December 1957 in the County Cultural Centre in Kolbuszowa, and later also in Sokołów. The seat of the Museum, as well as of the Society, was the building of the former synagogue.
In its early days, the Museum was very active in exhibition activities.
In addition to the main, permanent exhibition consisting of material culture products of the Lasowiak people and archaeological artefacts, as many as five temporary exhibitions were organised at the turn of 1961 and 1962: "Reproductions of masterpieces of world painting", "Monuments of the Kolbuszowa district in watercolours by Józef Augustynowicz", "Lusatian cemetery from Trzęsówka", and "The Rzeszów area in the dawn of history in the light of excavations" and "20 lat PPR at the Rzeszów area" from the collection of the Regional Museum in Rzeszów. In the following years the Museum limited itself to maintaining and enriching the permanent exhibition. This was a considerable effort and an undoubted organisational success for the Society, which based all its activities on the voluntary work of its members. The activities of the museum at that time can be seen from an inscription left by the prominent theatre and film actor Wojciech Siemion, who visited the museum: "Many thanks for your hospitality at the Museum! The collections, the layout, and well... an excellent guide!".
Another important and lasting aspect of the work of the Regional Museum and the Society for the Care of Monuments was its publishing activity. Between 1961 and 1971, 11 issues of the Bulletins were published, which are today an introductory and obligatory reading for anyone undertaking research into the history, archaeology or ethnography of the region.
Another important and lasting aspect of the work of the Regional Museum and the Society for the Care of Monuments was its publishing activity. Between 1961 and 1971, 11 issues of the Bulletins were published, which are today an introductory and obligatory reading for anyone undertaking research into the history, archaeology or ethnography of the region.
On 1 January 1972, by decision of the Presidium of the District National Council in agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Art, the Museum was nationalised. Maciej Skowroński was appointed its manager, and he initiated work for the creation of an ethnographic park in Kolbuszowa. Consequently, the Society concentrated on its publishing activities and the popularisation of knowledge about the region. It also changed its name to the J.M. Goslar Cultural Society in Kolbuszowa.
In the early 1970s the Regional Museum organised a number of extremely interesting exhibitions. The most significant ones are: "Kolbuszowa furniture" and "Lasowiak people Folk Art" from 1972, "Prehistory of Kolbuszowa County" and "Lasowiak and Rzeszowiak people Ceremonial Art" from 1973 and "Kolbuszowa area in the XXX years of the Polish People's Republic" from 1974.
In the early 1970s the Regional Museum organised a number of extremely interesting exhibitions. The most significant ones are: "Kolbuszowa furniture" and "Lasowiak people Folk Art" from 1972, "Prehistory of Kolbuszowa County" and "Lasowiak and Rzeszowiak people Ceremonial Art" from 1973 and "Kolbuszowa area in the XXX years of the Polish People's Republic" from 1974.
The year 1974 brought significant changes for the Museum: first, the Head of the District Office in Kolbuszowa, in a decree of 11 June, gave it new statutes which, apart from making its activities more detailed and broadening their scope, introduced a change of name to the Museum of Folk Culture, while at the end of the year, on the purchased land in Wolska Street, the first objects of the future ethnographic park were put together.
The four-year period 1974-78 was a period of intensive work on the organisation of the ethnographic museum. The ceremony of its opening, attended by the Deputy Minister of Culture Prof. Wiktor Zin, began on 4 May 1978, while on the second day the All-Polish Conference of Ethnographic Parks convened on that occasion. Over time, the Kolbuszowa open-air museum became the town's main, and in fact only, tourist attraction.
The four-year period 1974-78 was a period of intensive work on the organisation of the ethnographic museum. The ceremony of its opening, attended by the Deputy Minister of Culture Prof. Wiktor Zin, began on 4 May 1978, while on the second day the All-Polish Conference of Ethnographic Parks convened on that occasion. Over time, the Kolbuszowa open-air museum became the town's main, and in fact only, tourist attraction.
Thanks to the acquisition of new exhibition spaces in the open-air museum, temporary exhibitions could be held more frequently in the main museum building on Piekarska Street.
In 1979, three exhibitions were presented: "Art of Nepal", "Art of Java" and the post-exhibition "Ethnographic Park in Kolbuszowa", while in the following years: "Polish faience in the collection of the Museum of Folk Culture in Kolbuszowa" and "Decorative fabric of the Middle East", "Pastoral art of the Eastern Romanian Carpathians", "New acquisitions of the Museum of Folk Culture in Kolbuszowa 1980-1983". On 21 September 1984, the important and much-anticipated historical exhibition "Kolbuszowa - my town" was opened. For the members of the Cultural Society, this was an obvious reference to the purposes for which they had once created the Museum. It is worth noting that both the author of the exhibition, the director of the Museum and the President of the Society's Board at the time was Maciej Skowroński.
In the second half of the 1980s, two events took place that significantly affected the structure as well as the activities of the Museum. In 1986, the Social Museum of Fire Fighting, which had existed at the Kolbuszowa Voluntary Fire Brigade since 1973, was incorporated into the Museum of Folk Culture as a branch. As a consequence, one of the most significant collections of firefighting artefacts in Poland was created in conjunction with the collections previously held. The Museum of Fire Fighting was open to the public until 1993, first in the Voluntary Fire Brigade building, then in the large hall of the main Museum building. The second major change which brought about a significant improvement in working conditions was the relocation of the Museum's headquarters to the old palace annexe in Kościuszki Street. The renovation of this building was only possible thanks to the efforts of Zbigniew Jucha, the provincial conservationist, and Maciej Skowroński, the director, to obtain funds for the renovation of historic buildings. In 1989, it housed offices, a library, an archive and a photographic studio. The Museum's original premises hosted temporary exhibitions for nearly 20 years, with the historical exhibition "Former Kolbuszowa and its inhabitants" taking place in the upper hall.
After renovation in 2004, the large hall of the synagogue was restored to its exhibition function and served in this capacity for another four years. During this time, a number of exhibitions were presented.
30 May 2005. By a resolution of the Sejmik of the Podkarpackie Voivodship, the Museum received a new Statute which introduced a new organisational structure: Ethnographic Department, Ethnographic Park Department, Historical and Artistic Department, Conservation Department, Dissemination Department, Finance and Accounting Department, Administration and Personnel Department and the position of Chief Inventory Officer.
In 2008. The Museum, fulfilling the ruling of the Regulatory Commission for Jewish Religious Communities of 6 August 2008, acting on the basis of the Act of 20 February 1997 on the Relation of the State to Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland, handed over the synagogue building used since 1959 to the starost of Kolbuszowa, as a representative of the State Treasury.
In 2008. The Museum, fulfilling the ruling of the Regulatory Commission for Jewish Religious Communities of 6 August 2008, acting on the basis of the Act of 20 February 1997 on the Relation of the State to Jewish Religious Communities in the Republic of Poland, handed over the synagogue building used since 1959 to the starost of Kolbuszowa, as a representative of the State Treasury.
In pursuing its mission, our institution places particular emphasis on multifaceted activities. It enriches its collections, scientifically develops, preserves, protects and makes available monuments of material and spiritual culture of villages and towns from the area of residence of ethnographic groups of the Lasowiak and Rzeszowiak people. It conducts research and scientific camps, cooperating with prominent scientists in the field of ethnology, ethnography and cultural anthropology. It organises conferences and scientific seminars. Particularly noteworthy was the 2009 jubilee event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Museum and 30th anniversary of the Ethnographic Park, during which a session entitled "Poor village or flowing with milk and honey?" During this event, a session was held on the theme "Poor countryside or a village flowing with milk and honey? Truth in open-air museum performances".
Nowadays
The Museum also conducts popularisation activities. It organises many open-air events, the most important and popular of which has been the Presentations of Folk Art of the Lasowiak and Rzeszowiak since 1997. During the meetings at the open-air museum, demonstrations of old works, crafts, handicrafts as well as performances of folk bands, ritual ensembles and excellent folk artists take place. A unique role in the museum's work is played by education, the importance of which cannot be overestimated. The Museum conducts various forms of educational activities – with children, young people and various groups of adults.
