Muzeum Polaków Ratujących Żydów podczas II wojny światowej im. Rodziny Ulmów w Markowej

About the museum

The idea of a museum in Markowa emerged at the end of 2007, and in June 2008 the Podkarpackie Regional Assembly unanimously resolved to establish it. Supervision of the construction was entrusted to the Muzeum-Zamek in Łańcut. The building was designed by the Nizio Design International studio: a minimalist, austere volume that recalls a simple village house. Construction ran from October 2013 to October 2015, and the museum opened on 17 March 2016. Since 30 June 2017 it has operated as an independent institution, co-run by the voivodeship self-government and the Minister of Culture.

The patrons of the museum are Józef and Wiktoria Ulma, residents of Markowa, who during the occupation hid eight Jewish people. At dawn on 24 March 1944, German gendarmes murdered the hidden Jews and then the Ulmas and their children. In 1995 the Ulmas were posthumously honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations, and on 10 September 2023 a beatification Mass for the whole family was held in Markowa.

The permanent exhibition tells the story of the Rescuers and the Rescued in the area of present-day Subcarpathia, covering the period from before the war, through the occupation, to the post-war years. At the centre of the hall stands a glass cube which symbolically presents the Ulma house on a 1:1 scale. In front of the museum there is a square with plaques bearing the names of Poles murdered for helping Jews, and next to it a Memorial Orchard has been established with a list of the localities where Polish Righteous people were active.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition on the rescue of Jews by Poles in the Subcarpathia region
• Glass cube as a symbolic 1:1 model of the Ulma house
• Square in front of the museum with plaques bearing the names of Poles murdered for helping Jews
• Memorial Orchard with a list of about 1,500 localities where Polish Righteous people were active
• Building by Nizio Design International
• Exhibition texts in Polish, English and Hebrew

Permanent exhibition

• Polacy ratujący Żydów na Podkarpaciu podczas II wojny światowej – The main exhibition, with archival materials, photographs and films, shows the fates of the Rescuers and the Rescued and of the Ulma family; the symbolic Ulma house is its central point.

Founded

2016

Operated by

Muzeum współprowadzone przez Samorząd Województwa Podkarpackiego i Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego

Director

Waldemar Rataj

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every Tuesday – free admission.

Organised groups should book their visit at least one week in advance.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• 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

The building is single-storey, and the permanent exhibition is freely accessible. The heavy main door is opened by a staff member, and visits can be announced in advance. A toilet for people with disabilities is located at the entrance; if it is closed, the key is issued at the ticket desk. A chair for older visitors can be borrowed at the ticket desk. A parking space for people with disabilities must be reported in advance. The Memorial Orchard is on a steep slope and is hard to reach for wheelchair users; after a prior phone call, a visit with a member of staff is possible. Assistance dogs may enter the exhibition (harness, certificate and vaccinations).

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 12+

The museum recommends the exhibition for young people from the age of 12. For schools an educational package, museum lessons and workshops have been prepared.

Getting there & parking

Markowa lies about 8 km south-east of Łańcut. The parking space for people with disabilities is next to the internal road by the square in front of the building.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check

The cloakroom is inside the building, opposite the main entrance. There are benches in front of the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit