Orava Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna

At the heart of this open-air museum is a manor house that was never moved here: it has stood on this spot since the 17th century. The Orava Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna was the first open-air museum opened in post-war Poland. On almost 12 hectares at the foot of Babia Góra it brings together more than 60 buildings from the Polish part of Orava, from smoke-blackened cottages to a working mill and sawmill. Scenes for "Janosik" and "With Fire and Sword" were filmed here.

History: from the Moniak manor to a museum

It all began with the Moniak family, village heads (sołtys) of Zubrzyca from the founding of the village until the mid-19th century, who were ennobled by imperial decree in 1674. In the 1930s their descendants – Joanna Wilczek née Łaciak and her brother, who lived in Budapest – gave the manor, its farm buildings and about 4 ha of land to the state. The donation was completed on 13 August 1937, thanks to Juliusz Zborowski of the Tatra Museum and conservator Bogdan Treter.

After the war the manor decayed and for a time was even used as a sheepfold. It was saved by conservator Hanna Pieńkowska, who ordered repairs in 1951. On 11 September 1955 the Orava Sightseeing and Tourist Centre opened here, and the first building moved to the site, an 18th-century inn from Podwilk, served as a PTTK hostel. The museum became an independent institution in 1974, and since 2006 it has been run by the Małopolska regional government.

What to see

• The Moniak manor, preserved in situ with its stables, sheepfold and cellar; the oldest part dates from the 17th century.
• The Black Inn from Podwilk (18th century), now the ticket office and shop.
• The Church of Our Lady of the Snows from Tokarnia (first half of the 17th century), with late Baroque altars and a choir loft carved by folk artist Józef Wrona.
• Village industry: a fulling mill and sawmill from Łopuszna, a combined mill and sawmill, a smithy, an oil press from Lipnica Mała and a dye works.
• The Dziurczak cottage, with an exhibition on Orava's oldest pharmacy and the pharmacist and photographer Eugeniusz Stercula.
• The school from Lipnica Wielka with its classroom, and an apiary of log hives.

Did you know?

According to local legend, the Paś-Filipek cottage was once moved from Zubrzyca Górna to Jabłonka as part of a bride's dowry. Linseed was once called "Orava gold", and the oil press and museum workshops tell the story of flax growing. The museum won the Sybilla award, Poland's main museum prize, in 1999, and the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis in 2025. Its biggest annual event is the folk festival Święto Borówki (Blueberry Festival).

Tripto tip

Opening hours according to the museum: May–September 9:00–17:00, October–April 9:00–15:00. Monday is free, but only the grounds can be visited, not the interiors, so choose another day if you want to go inside the cottages and the manor. Check current prices and last entry on orawa.eu before you go. Allow 2–3 hours; the site is hilly, so wear comfortable shoes. The museum lies on the road from Jabłonka towards the Krowiarki pass, which makes it easy to combine with a trip to Babia Góra.