Muzeum im. Anny i Jarosława Iwaszkiewiczów w Stawisku

About the museum

The estate was named Stawisko after Anna Iwaszkiewicz received it from her father, Stanisław Wilhelm Lilpop, on her wedding day in September 1922. The Iwaszkiewicz couple moved here in 1928 and lived here until the writer's death in 1980. The house was not only their private home but also an important centre of literary and musical life; before the war, guests here included Karol Szymanowski, Jan Lechoń, Antoni Słonimski and Czesław Miłosz.

During the German occupation, Stawisko became a refuge for many people fleeing Warsaw, among them Jerzy Andrzejewski, Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, Stanisław Dygat and Witold Lutosławski. After the war Iwaszkiewicz created his most important works here, and guests included Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and the pianist Artur Rubinstein. The park around the house developed together with its owners and now covers about 16 ha.

In accordance with the writer's will, the estate passed into state ownership and was turned into a museum, established in 1984. Since 1999 the institution has been subordinate to the starosta (county head) of the Grodzisk County. The interiors have kept their former character, so that they give the impression that the owners have only just stepped out. The collections include a manuscript archive of about 1,050 folders, a photographic archive, a library, music scores and a collection of works of art. Today the museum is also a venue for concerts, author meetings and festivals.

Highlights

• Authentically preserved interiors of the writer's house, with study, library and bedroom
• Park of 16 ha with a lime avenue, orchard and the chapel of Karol Stryjeński
• One of the most valuable manuscript archives in Poland (about 100 thousand sheets)
• Art collection, music scores and the Iwaszkiewicz library
• Concerts, author meetings and festivals in the literary-musical salon

Permanent exhibition

• Dom-muzeum Anny i Jarosława Iwaszkiewiczów – Preserved residential rooms of the house with a dining room, library, bedroom and the writer's study, furnished with objects, paintings and souvenirs from more than fifty years of the owners' lives. The exhibition occupies the ground floor and the upper floor.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Powiat grodziski

Director

Agata Kościelna-Ratowska

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Admission is free on Tuesdays.

Free admission applies, among others, to children up to age 7, veterans, holders of selected orders, staff of museums entered in the State Register of Museums, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, holders of the Karta Polaka (Polish Card) and journalists with a valid press card.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

A ramp for wheelchairs with a call button to summon a member of staff leads to the entrance; from the door to the first level of the visit there are eight steps. There is no lift in the building, but the museum has a stair-climbing device. The accessible toilet is in the basement, reached by stairs with a handrail. A car belonging to a person with mobility difficulties can park right by the entrance. There are no induction loops. Room descriptions are also available in Braille, and a special brochure has been prepared for partially sighted visitors. A film about the museum in Polish Sign Language is available on the website. Assistance dogs may enter the museum and the park.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

The museum runs museum lessons for children, for example about the animals living at Stawisko. In the eastern part of the museum park there is a playground, and the toilet on level –1 has a changing table.

Getting there & parking

By car on road 719 in the direction of Warsaw–Żyrardów. The museum has two entrance gates: the main gate from road 719 and a side gate from ul. Gołębia (narrow, for cars only). The entrance to the museum is on the eastern side.

Amenities & dining

In the park there is a shelter with a table and a fireplace, which can be rented for a group picnic.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The museum interiors, the covered terrace of 50 m² and the park can be rented for meetings, conferences, official and private celebrations, and as a film location; dates should be arranged at least two weeks in advance.

Plan your visit