Museum of Tatra

Tatra Museum was established to honor the achievements of Titus Chałubiński Warsaw physician, scholar and great lover of the Tatra Mountains and mountain culture. The oldest collections, which consisted of collections: botanical, geological, zoological and ethnographic and beginning the library were collected as gifts and buy whole collections from private collectors.

In the years before the First World War, the museum still gathered donations and bequests of funds for the construction of a brick museum building and enlarging the museum collections. In 1911, the museum has adopted to implement the plans drawn up by architect Franciszek Mączyński. Mączyński project has been criticized by Stanisław Witkiewicz, the creator of Zakopane style. As a result, the project of building in Zakopane style according to the concept of Stanislaw Witkiewicz developed Franciszek Mączyński.

The construction of the new building began in 1913. The outbreak of World War I interrupted the work. It was finished in 1920. The opening ceremony of the Tatra Museum was the summer of 1922. The new building opened to the public two exhibitions: ethnographic on the ground floor  and natural on the first floor. Director of the museum was Juliusz Zborowski. Greatly increased the library collections and gained for it valuable collection.

The period of World War II, Tatra Museum successfully survived without major losses, and after the war, in 1950, was nationalized. With more jobs and financial stability can begin a systematic field research and development of collections. He could also arise third division collector - artistic and historical and conservation workshop.

Juliusz Zborowski led the Tatra Museum until 1965. In the seventies was established department heritage protection, dealing with the renovation of historic buildings, located within the statutory activities of the Museum.

In the main building of the Tatra Museum are permanent exhibitions showing the history of the region and the richness of the culture and nature of the Tatras.

• historical

• ethnographic

• nature

Historical exhibition consists of photographs, archival materials and publications - tells the story of Zakopane and the surrounding area. Subsequent parts of the exhibition show the development of Zakopane from the small highland village in the Tatra Mountains through the spa and cultural center to "winter sports capital" in the interwar period. In 1886 highland village obtained the status of the spa which resulted in the construction of numerous health resorts, guesthouses and private villas. Zakopane gathered prominent representatives from politics, science and Polish art. With fascination of the Tatra Mountains and mountain culture gave rise to literary works, music and painting. Interwar period was an intensive development of mountaineering, winter sports and urban development.

Ethnographic department consists largely of imitating the interior of the cottage chambers "black" and "white", separated by a hallway. The decor of the rooms presents the equipment mountain hut from the middle of the nineteenth century. Everyday life family went on a "black" chamber, blackened from the smoke of the fire - here and in the hallway were collected appliances, utensils and tools needed in the household.

The "white" room was festive, hospitable. Dances were held here and all important family celebrations. Furniture "white" room consisted of equipment more richly decorated and carefully made.

The rest of the exhibition is dedicated to the old economy Podhala: collecting and and of hunting and agriculture. In the showcases presented sculpture, ceramics, musical instruments and former and contemporary costume of Podhale.

The first floor of the main building is an exhibition of nature. There are rocks and fossils of the Tatras. The most beautiful specimens from the collections of the Museum document the processes occurring in the region in the Earth's crust and on its surface at various geological periods.

In this part of the exhibition presents the plants and animals of the Tatra Mountains. The botanical the showcases are vascular plants, fungi and lichens. In the showcases can admire mountain animals such as goats, marmots and bears.

Source: http://www.muzeumtatrzanskie.com.pl/