Muzeum Ziemi Piskiej w Piszu

About the museum

The museum in Pisz was established on the initiative of the Society of Friends of the Pisz Land, founded on 17 December 1965. The Regional Museum was formally established on 21 July 1969 during a session of the Town Council. Its first, temporary seat was the so-called Bastion by the town hall, and the nucleus of the collections consisted of a dozen or so ethnographic exhibits, a few books and natural history specimens from the District Cultural Centre. In 1975–1985 the institution was a branch of the District Museum in Suwałki, and from 1 January 1985 it has been subordinate to the authorities of the town and gmina of Pisz under the name Muzeum Ziemi Piskiej (Pisz Land Museum).

The museum is currently housed in the basement of the Neo-Gothic town hall, completed in December 1900 on the site of a former 17th-century building. In the cellars there was once a Ratskeller beer hall, where in 1935 the writer Melchior Wańkowicz stayed during a canoe expedition “tropami Smętka” (in the footsteps of Smętek).

The permanent exhibition consists of four parts. The ethnographic hall shows tools of crafts, agriculture, forestry, beekeeping and fishing, as well as a film about fishing and Masurian tales in dialect. The natural history exhibition presents stuffed birds, mammals, fish and reptiles of the Pisz Forest and a collection of eggs of over 70 bird species. The archaeological exhibition includes, among other things, the skull of an aurochs (tur) from 3,750 years ago, and the historical exhibition shows the settlement privilege of Pisz from 1367, the history of the Masurians and memorabilia from the Polish People’s Republic (PRL) period.

Highlights

• Neo-Gothic town hall of 1900 as the museum’s seat
• The last surviving tombstone (matzevah) from the Pisz Jewish cemetery
• Settlement and beekeeping privilege of Pisz of 1367
• Remains of an aurochs (tur) from 3,750 years ago, recovered from the Pisa River
• Collection of eggs of over 70 bird species and specimens from the Pisz Forest

Permanent exhibitions

• Wystawa etnograficzna – Objects of old crafts, agriculture, forestry, beekeeping and fishing, a film about fishing, and Masurian tales in dialect.
• Wystawa przyrodnicza – Specimens of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles of Warmia and Masuria, with particular attention to the Pisz Forest, a collection of eggs, and objects on hunting traditions.
• Wystawa archeologiczna i historyczna – The oldest traces of settlement, including the aurochs skull and the pile settlement from Lake Orzysz, and the history of Pisz, the Masurians and religion in the Pisz Land.

Founded

1969

Operated by

Gmina Pisz

Admission & discounts

Payment in cash or by card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• 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 museum is in the basement of the town hall. Information about facilities for persons with disabilities has not been published on the museum’s website.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the central point of the town, in the town hall at Daszyński Square (plac Daszyńskiego).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

There is a regional shop on site; card payment is possible.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit