Muzeum Hymnu Narodowego w Będominie
The first museum of the national anthem in the world, in the manor house in Będomin, the birthplace of Józef Wybicki, author of the lyrics of the “Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” (Dąbrowski’s Mazurka).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Józef Rufin Wybicki was born on 29 September 1747 in Będomin, into a moderately wealthy Kashubian gentry family. He went down in history as the author of the Song of the Polish Legions in Italy, the “Mazurek Dąbrowskiego”, which became the Polish national anthem.
The decision to establish the first museum of the national anthem in the world in Będomin was taken in 1978. The organisation of the new branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk was entrusted to the historian Józef Błaszkowski. In 2015 the permanent exhibitions were rearranged and enriched with objects on loan from, among others, the Royal Castle in Warsaw and the Museum of the Polish Army.
Today the exhibitions are housed in a historic gentry manor house set in a park, about 8 km from Kościerzyna. The exhibition “Józef Wybicki and His Times” presents the author of the anthem as a poet, politician, lawyer and general; the exhibition “The Fate of the Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” presents the history of the song from censorship and bans to the regaining of independence. A third exhibition, “Polish National Symbols”, tells the story of the coat of arms, the national colours and the Polish military eagle.
Highlights
- The manor house where Józef Wybicki was born in 1747
- Facsimile of the manuscript of the Song of the Polish Legions in Italy
- Order of the White Eagle, Legion of Honour, portrait of Prince Józef Poniatowski and letters of Wybicki
- Collection of patriotic jewellery from the 19th century and music boxes playing the Mazurek
- Recordings of the exhibition commentary and the text of the anthem in Braille
Permanent exhibitions
- Józef Wybicki i jego czasy – The exhibition in the oldest part of the manor shows Wybicki as a poet, politician, lawyer and general, against the background of the fate of Poland and Europe.
- Losy Mazurka Dąbrowskiego – The exhibition tells how the song was censored, altered and banned, before it became the anthem after 130 years.
- Polskie symbole narodowe – The exhibition presents the coat of arms, the national colours and the Polish military eagle, and the process of shaping national symbols after regaining independence.
- Founded
- 1978
- Operated by
- Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 20 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 15 złpupils and students, holders of the Large Family Card (Karta Dużej Rodziny), people with disabilities and their carers, and other groups according to the concession rules of the National Museum in Gdańsk |
| Students & apprentices | 1 złThe ticket for pupils and students aged 8–26 costs PLN 1. |
| Groups (10+ people) | 12 zł per personOrganised groups of 10 or more people; price per person. |
| Families | 12 złFamily or friends ticket for 3–8 people; price per person. |
| 7-day ticket to all branches of the National Museum in Gdańsk | 60 złReduced ticket PLN 45. |
| Annual ticket for the holder (all branches) | 150 zł |
| Guided tour for adults (up to 30 people, Polish or English) | 300 złPlus admission tickets. |
Free admission: every Saturday
Free admission is granted to people fleeing the war and those accompanying them (an oral declaration is sufficient). Exemptions from fees apply, among others, to museum employees, members of ICOM and AICA, tourist guides and journalists.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: not available
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
One step leads to the entrance from the courtyard. The exhibition is on the ground floor, and only stairs lead to the upper floor with the offices. There is an induction loop at the ticket office, and it is possible to use an online sign language interpreter. The accessible toilet is in the neighbouring administrative building (ask staff for the route), without a baby-changing table. Recordings of the exhibition commentary and of the music boxes, and the text of the anthem in Braille, are available; no accessible parking space has been designated on the museum grounds.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | 12 zł · Family or friends ticket for 3–8 people; price per person. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Playground / play area: not available
Museum lessons and workshops for school groups take place at the museum. There is no separate children’s play area on the grounds, nor a baby-changing table.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
przystanek w Będominie
The nearest railway station is Kościerzyna (PKP trains and the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway from Gdańsk). Selected regional buses run from Kościerzyna to Będomin; their number depends on the day of the week, and the stop is near the museum.
By car
Free parking
There is free parking for passenger cars and coaches by the museum.
- Accessible parking: not available
The museum is about 8 km from Kościerzyna; the journey from Kościerzyna takes about 10 minutes, from Gdańsk about an hour. Bicycles can be left near the building.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
A coat rack for self-service use is available in the public area.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A guided tour for adults in Polish or English costs PLN 300 for a group of up to 30 people, plus admission tickets; workshops and museum lessons cost PLN 300 for a group of up to 30 people, plus tickets. The museum welcomes organised groups; advance booking of a date is recommended. |
