If you ever find yourself in northern Poland, Olsztynek is worth a stop. This small town in Masuria is home to an open-air museum where traditional wooden houses, barns, and workshops give you a feel for how people lived here over a century ago. The site covers over 90 hectares and includes more than 70 historic buildings arranged like a real village.

Traditions Alive: Folk Architecture in Olsztynek | Lebendige Traditionen: Volksarchitektur in Olsztynek | Traditions vivantes : Architecture populaire à Olsztynek | Żywe tradycje: Architektura ludowa w Olsztynku

In an age of rapid modernisation, there’s something deeply grounding about stepping into the world of past centuries – a world shaped by hand-built cottages, wooden churches, and time-honoured rural customs. Across Europe, open-air museums offer a unique window into the everyday lives of people long gone, preserving not just buildings but ways of life.

One such place can be found in the heart of Northern Poland, in the small town of Olsztynek. The Museum of Folk Architecture, an ethnographic park in Olsztynek, was not the first folk park I visited. But this one was beyond expectations. The collection of rural houses, their interiors, and equipment is impressive. In fact, the place is an enormous park, where you can walk around, from time to time, stepping inside a building. Although all houses and other buildings had been moved to this place from a larger region, you have the impression you are in a village that has its own church, school, and many craftsmen houses. Walking around this place, we only have to keep in mind that the houses gathered there belonged to wealthier rural families. Still, the place reflects how people lived in this region a hundred or two hundred years ago.

Outdoors in the park

Established in 1969, the park traces its roots back to the early 20th century when the idea of preserving East Prussia’s folk architecture took shape. In years 1938 to 1942 the museum undertook a complex task of relocating characteristic buildings from East Prussia to Olsztynek. Despite challenges, 12 structures successfully made the journey, laying the foundation for the museum’s unique collection. Post-World War II, in 1950, restoration efforts commenced, securing the facilities in collaboration with the conservator of monuments. Further expansion took place in the late 1950s. Over the years, it continued to evolve, incorporating new objects and artefacts to its collections.

The material culture and folk art collections of the Museum of Folk Architecture exceed 14,000 items, offering a comprehensive view of the cultural heritage of the region. The museum’s collections are housed in 80 mostly wooden structures of large and small rural architecture, each with diverse functions, designs, and constructions. These encompass residential and religious buildings, alongside farmsteads and industrial structures.

The majority of the objects date back to the mid-19th century. From the 1870s onwards, bricks became increasingly common as a building material. Before that, houses were constructed using pine wood, employing either crown post or half-timbered structures. In a crown post structure, a vertical post, known as the crown post, stands in the center of the building, supporting the weight of the roof. The crown post connects the collar beam, which is positioned horizontally and links the tops of opposing rafters. A half-timbered structure, also known as timber framing or half-timbering, is a construction method where the framework of a building is exposed on the exterior, creating a visible structural skeleton. In a half-timbered structure, the spaces between the wooden framework are often filled with materials like brick, plaster, or wattle and daub. The term “half-timbered” comes from the fact that only a portion of the structure is made of exposed timber, typically forming a decorative pattern or providing structural support.

Just a few of numerous houses gathered in the park

The interiors

The objects showcased in the Museum of Folk Architecture on expansive area of thirty-five hectares originate from areas that were part of East Prussia at the time of the museum’s inception in 1913 originating from the regions of Warmia, Masuria, Powiśle, the so-called Little Lithuania, and Sambia. The first three regions are currently within the boundaries of the Warmian-Masurian region in Poland, while Little Lithuania covers areas in the eastern Republic of Lithuania and the northern part of the Kaliningrad Oblast. Sambia is located in the Kaliningrad Oblast. The buildings were either translocated or reconstructed post-World War II. The museum also features objects that do not fall within the territorial boundaries of the mentioned regions.

Within these buildings, exhibits showcase traditional methods of work and rural rituals from the 19th and 20th centuries. The cultural landscape’s authenticity is further enhanced by livestock, household gardens, and traditional cultivation. In this region, visitors will encounter horses, goats, and Skudde sheep, considered the oldest of the domesticated Nordic sheep breeds. The Skudde breed was developed in East Prussia and thrived from northern Lithuania to the Kaszuby region. It was particularly popular in Warmia and Masuria. During World War II, Skudde sheep are freely walking around the park you can indeed see those Skudde sheep walking around houses. They reside in one of the farmsteads reconstructed in the museum (they can be seen in the door of one of tbe buildings on one of the photos above).

Various equipment on display in the Museum of Folk Architecture

After entering the gate of the park we were free to walk across the entire park. It was also possible to stay there longer than during the opening hours. There are many cameras on the premises, so the place is guarded. Still when you leave at later hour you can simply open a small door near the entrance gate from the inside.

The Masuria region is known for its beautiful nature, forests, lakes, and many opportunities for outdoor activities. It is also home to castles built by the Teutonic Order and wooden churches (one of them will be featured in an upcoming post). The Museum of Folk Architecture was an unexpected pleasure for me, providing historical insights and a peaceful place to spend time.