Muzeum w Łowiczu

About the museum

The beginnings of the collections date from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and are linked to the collector Władysław Tarczyński, who opened his “Zbiory Starożytności” (Collection of Antiquities) to the public in 1905. In 1907 the collection became the Museum of Antiquities and Historical Relics, and after Poland regained independence in 1927 it operated as the Municipal Museum named after Władysław Tarczyński. It was complemented by the Ethnographic Museum of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society, which had been operating since 1910. In 1948 the collections of both museums were taken over by the Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, which ran a branch here until 1995.

The museum is housed in the post-missionary building erected from 1689 to a design by Tylman z Gameren as a seminary for missionary priests, founded by Archbishop Michał Radziejowski. In later years the building served various functions, including as a school and a prison; during the Second World War it was destroyed, and only the southern wing with the chapel survived. In 1950–1952 three wings were rebuilt, and since the 1950s the building has housed the museum, which today is a unit of Łowicz County.

The permanent exhibitions include “Sztuka baroku w Polsce” (The Art of the Baroque in Poland) in the chapel of St Charles Borromeo, with frescoes by Michelangelo Palloni from around 1695, the exhibition “Historia miasta i regionu” (History of the Town and Region), a display on the ethnography of the Duchy of Łowicz, and the Izba Pamięci Żydów Łowickich (Remembrance Room of the Jews of Łowicz). In the garden of the building there is a miniature open-air museum with farmsteads from the former Duchy of Łowicz. The museum also runs the separate Łowicki Park Etnograficzny (Łowicz Ethnographic Park) in Maurzyce.

Highlights

• Fresco by Michelangelo Palloni in the chapel of St Charles Borromeo
• Post-missionary building designed by Tylman z Gameren
• Exhibition on the ethnography of the Duchy of Łowicz
• Izba Pamięci Żydów Łowickich (Remembrance Room of the Jews of Łowicz)
• Miniature open-air museum with farmsteads from the 18th and 19th centuries in the museum garden

Permanent exhibitions

• Sztuka baroku w Polsce – Exhibition in the chapel of St Charles Borromeo with frescoes by Michelangelo Palloni, furniture from the 16th to 19th centuries and the painting “Triumph of Death”.
• Historia miasta i regionu – Permanent exhibition on the history of Łowicz and its surroundings.
• Izba Pamięci Żydów Łowickich – Exhibition from 2008 on the Jewish community of Łowicz, with archival materials, Hanukkah candelabra and matzevot (gravestones).

Founded

1907

Operated by

Powiat łowicki

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Tuesday – free admission to the permanent exhibitions (except public holidays and long weekends); Friday – free admission to the miniature open-air museum.

Free admission is also granted to members of ICOM and ICOMOS, staff of museums listed in the National Register of Museums, holders of the Karta Polaka (Polish Card) and tour leaders of groups.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The building has a lift linking its three floors, and all exhibition rooms are adapted for wheelchair users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum offers a family ticket, museum lessons and family workshops, and activities in the miniature open-air museum during the season.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the city centre, near the cathedral and the town hall. From Warsaw take the A2 motorway, exit Skierniewice, then the DK70 road; from Łódź take the DK14 road or the A2, exit Łowicz.

Amenities & dining

Meals for organised groups can be ordered through the museum at the open-air museum in Maurzyce.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The Baroque hall, the museum rooms and the educational room with multimedia equipment are available for hire; the museum also makes its interiors available for photo shoots.

Plan your visit