Muzeum w Tykocinie

About the museum

The Muzeum w Tykocinie was founded on 1 November 1976, when the Muzeum Okręgowe w Białymstoku (Białystok Regional Museum) set up new branches. Two buildings formerly belonging to the Jewish community active in the town from 1522 to 1941 were designated as its seat: the Great Synagogue of 1642 and the Bejt Midrasz, or Talmud House, rebuilt in the 1970s.

Tykocin was an important urban centre, and its local kahal was one of the largest in the former Poland. After the extermination of Tykocin’s Jews in 1941, the town lost part of its identity, which is why the museum reconstructs the local cultural heritage. Its collections concern the history of Tykocin and the surrounding area, the culture of the lesser nobility and the burghers, and Jewish culture. The collection of Judaica is the first of its kind after the war and the only such collection in north-eastern Poland.

In the Great Synagogue, the appearance of the Great Hall from the inter-war period has been recreated on the basis of iconography and documentation by Szymon Zajczyk, with the oldest painted layer exposed and Hebrew inscriptions dating from 1662. The exhibition in the Talmud House tells the history of the town from the late Middle Ages to the second half of the 20th century.

Highlights

• Great Synagogue of 1642 with polychromy and a reconstructed aron ha-kodesz (Torah ark)
• Exhibition “Tykocin w nurcie historii” (Tykocin in the Current of History) in the Talmud House
• Old Polish salon with a model of the town
• Collection of Judaica from north-eastern Poland
• Audio guide with audio description in the synagogue

Permanent exhibitions

• Wielka Synagoga – The reconstructed Great Hall from the inter-war period, with the oldest painted layer exposed, Hebrew inscriptions and a reconstructed aron ha-kodesz (Torah ark).
• Tykocin w nurcie historii – Exhibition in the Talmud House on the history of the town from the late Middle Ages to the second half of the 20th century, with an Old Polish salon, figures Zygmunt Gloger and Zygmunt Bujnowski, and inter-war Tykocin.

Founded

1976

Operated by

Muzeum Podlaskie w Białymstoku

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission to the permanent exhibitions on Thursdays.

The lowest prices apply to the Talmud House alone (standard PLN 10, reduced PLN 8); the combined ticket for the synagogue and the Talmud House costs PLN 25 (reduced PLN 15).

Accessibility

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

Synagogue: the entrance is at ground level (3 cm threshold, heavy doors); the exhibition rooms are accessible to wheelchair users, and level differences are overcome by a ramp with a gradient of up to 5%. Talmud House: five steps lead to the entrance, and the building is not accessible to wheelchair users. There is no toilet adapted for wheelchair users. An audio guide with audio description is available in the synagogue. The exhibitions have no Braille descriptions.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum organises Family Weekends (child PLN 12, accompanying adult PLN 5) and interactive “Muzealne Imperium Wiedzy” (Museum Empire of Knowledge) sessions for schools (PLN 10 per person) and kindergartens (PLN 7 per person). There is also a family ticket.

Getting there & parking

From the stop at Plac Stary Rynek to the synagogue it is about 130 m on foot along ul. Piłsudskiego.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Souvenirs can be bought at the service point in the synagogue.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit