The Regional Museum of the Polish Tourism and Sightseeing Society

During the late 1940s/early 1950s, the biggest achievement of the Warka Branch of the Polish Tourism and Sightseeing Society (Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze, PTTK) was the creation of a PTTK Regional Museum, located in two rooms at the manor in Winiary.

Before the Museum could open its doors, many Warka residents worked hard on achieving that goal. They contacted museum experts to learn about the structure of museums in Poland, organized a collection of potential exhibits, and appealed to residents of the entire Grójec district, the Ministry of Culture and Art, the Province Art Restorer, the Association of Polish Museums (Związek Muzeów Polskich), the Polish Library in Paris, and the Polish-American Council delegation in Warsaw.

The opening ceremony took place on May 6, 1951 at 4:30 pm in Warka. The items on display included archeological artifacts, historic and historical documents, folk art and costume, old maps and coins, and mementos from the Warka-Magnuszew bridgehead battles. The Museum was open each Sunday from 3 pm through 5 pm, and organized groups who made an appointment in advance could visit it on any given day. The Museum’s first curator was Wiktor Krawczyk (d. 1957). After his death, Wanda Podymniak was appointed to the office, and when she moved to Warsaw in 1961, the authorities selected Aleksander Gajewski.

The PTTK Regional Museum was a truly active social institution. On May 19, 1952, the Museum opened a photography exhibition, featuring snapshots from the everyday lives of Warka residents, working factories, historic sites, and the natural environment of the Pilica River valley. On April 7, 1956, a new exhibit commemorating the 300^th anniversary of the Battle at Warka was opened. It was the product of cooperation with the District Public Library in Pruszków (south-west of Warsaw). One of the entries in the guest book reads: “It is my first visit to Warka in 11 years. I am proud to have been born here and to visit my hometown on the 300^th anniversary of the battle against the Swedes.”

The Museum’s popularity grew, which led the authorities to believe a general renovation of the manor was necessary. The decision also included creating the Casimir Pulaski Museum. In the summer of 1963, the PTTK Regional Museum was closed. It played a great role in the patriotic upbringing of the local community, and the promotion of Warka in Poland and abroad.