Time Machine on the Jurassic Trail in Żarki

The "Time Machine on the Jurassic Trail" in Żarki is a living history museum run by historical re-enactors, where almost nothing sits behind glass. Visitors try on armour and medieval clothing, write with a quill like a scribe, handle weapons and find out whether knighthood was an easy trade. The hosts have more than 20 years of experience in historical re-enactment and in organising tournaments and staged battles.

From the kitchen to the knights' camp

The exhibition covers the 10th to the 17th century, and where a group lingers longest is up to the visitors. The route leads through a medieval kitchen and living room, a market with stalls and the walls of a Cistercian monastery, then on to a knights' camp. There you learn about the parts of armour and equipment, what it took to become a knight, and – with a bit of luck – you get to cross swords. Along the way you also call on the executioner and the physician. The section on the 16th and 17th centuries covers heavy cavalry, the hussars and musketeers – the brave can try a drill, and sometimes there's a musket-firing demonstration.

Workshops

Workshop rooms sit alongside the exhibition. The programme includes pottery, sewing leather pouches, macramé, sewing soft toys, sessions on the history of light and scent, making flatbreads and baking prażonki (potatoes and vegetables cooked in a pot over the fire). On warm days activities move out to the "outer bailey" for archery and knightly and peasant games. The hosts also run birthday parties and guided field trips around the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland and Ojców National Park.

Tripto tips

The Time Machine opens by appointment only – book by 10:00 on the day of your visit at the latest, by phone or email; you can also get in touch in English. The hosts keep groups small so everyone can touch everything. Allow about 1.5 hours for a visit with armour fitting, longer with a workshop. The museum is at ul. Leśna 19 in Żarki; the interactive Museum of Old Crafts in the Old Mill is in the same town, so the two are easy to combine in one day.