Museum in Bielsko-Biała – Weaver's House

The Weaver's House in Bielsko-Biała, located on Sobieskiego Street, is a unique example of 18th-century wooden architecture and a rare surviving specimen of craftsmen's architecture that endured the city fires of 1808 and 1836. Constructed using the log technique, the building once served as both a residence and a cloth-making workshop, with its history closely tied to the Bartke and Bathelt families. In 1974, it was donated for museum purposes by Wiktor Polończyk, son of the last owner, Antoni Polończyk. After extensive conservation work, the District Museum in Bielsko-Biała opened it to the public in 1992. The exhibition showcases the interior of the house and the weaver's workshop, illustrating the life of a craftsman at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when handmade production was gradually being replaced by mechanization. The workshop features an impressive 18th-century shaft loom as well as a guild office. The kitchen, the heart of family life, displays smaller looms and weaving-related objects. The attic houses a rich collection of folk costumes from the Bielsko-Biała region, with particular emphasis on the attire of townsfolk from Żywiec and the colorful garments from Wilamowice—the largest such collection in Poland. Interestingly, many of the exhibited highland costumes were made from handwoven fabrics produced on these looms. The exhibition is complemented by furniture used for storing clothing and traditional jewelry, reflecting the cultural richness of the region. The museum is an important stop on the Silesian Wooden Architecture Trail, preserving both the weaving heritage and local traditions.