Open-Air Museum of Forest Settlements in Granica

The Open-Air Museum of the Forest Settlement in Granica, located near the Kampinos National Park, is a small facility showcasing the wooden folk architecture of the Kampinos Forest. The museum, consisting of three homesteads, is part of the Jadwiga and Roman Kobendza Educational and Museum Center. It is characterized by diverse types of settlement that emerged due to the region's varied natural conditions. From an architectural perspective, the museum's collection includes structures typical of the region from the 19th to the 20th century, such as residential and farm buildings, which reflect traditional construction methods and local materials. Culturally, the museum represents the heritage of the inhabitants of the Kampinos Forest, their way of life, and their connection with the surrounding nature. The museum was established in the 1980s, a period when efforts to protect historical monuments intensified as traditional buildings began to disappear, making it an important site in the context of regional history. Interestingly, the original plans envisioned a much larger ethnographic park, but the projects were scaled down, and the buildings were relocated from various sites, highlighting the dynamic process of cultural heritage preservation. Today, the museum serves not only as an exhibition space but also as an educational hub, attracting visitors interested in both the architecture and folk culture of this unique region.