Podlasie Museum of Folk Culture

The Podlaskie Museum of Folk Culture, formerly known as the Białystok Village Museum, is an open-air museum located in Wasilków, near Białystok. The museum was established in 1982 as a branch of the District Museum in Białystok, with its roots tracing back to the Ethnography Department operating since 1962. Its aim is to protect and showcase the wooden architecture and related culture of the Białystok, Łomża, and Suwałki regions. Designed by Professor Marian Pokropek, the museum recreates traditional settlement layouts, such as minor noble hamlets and various types of rural buildings. On an area of nearly 30 hectares, visitors can see around 40 structures, including two characteristic post windmills (koźlaki), a forester's lodge, a blacksmith's workshop, a gamekeeper's house, and rural homes from different periods. The architecture of the open-air museum exemplifies the local building style, reflecting the history and customs of the region's inhabitants. A notable feature is the landed gentry manor from Bobra Wielka, with its classicist characteristics, which was a meeting place for many prominent figures, including Ignacy Paderewski. The museum also boasts a rich collection of traditional farming tools, rural vehicles, and exhibits related to crafts such as pottery and beekeeping. The purpose of the permanent and temporary exhibitions is to showcase the rich folk culture of Podlasie and its associated traditions, making this site an important point on Poland's cultural map.