A conference room full of guests, a meeting with history enthusiast Tadeusz Firczyk, and photo albums as a gift for all visitors to the permanent exhibition on the first day – that was how the opening of the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents on 1st May 2022 was celebrated.
“This is a special day for me. A day to meet you all – the residents of this area, thanks to whom this museum could be created,” said Dorota Mleczko, Remembrance Museum director, welcoming the participants of the inaugural gathering. She emphasized that the involvement of the inhabitants of the Oświęcim area in helping KL Auschwitz prisoners was enormous, although knowledge of this subject has not been well known – until now. Thanks to the new exhibition, this is about to change.
Teresa Jankowska, a member of the Oświęcim District Board, recalled that, although the official opening of the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents took place on 25th April, 1st May was the first day that the exhibition opened its doors to locals.
“This is a museum which speaks of the centuries-long history of the land of Oświęcim. It is a museum which speaks of the present and will also speak of the future. It is a museum in which values such as openness, solidarity and help are very important. It is an extraordinary place on the map of Poland and the world. It can live thanks to you,” Teresa Jankowska thanked those gathered.
The opening of the museum for residents and tourists was accompanied by the promotion of an album entitled “A walk around Oświęcim. Photographs from the collection of Tadeusz Firczyk.” After a conversation between Museum staff member Piotr Hertig and Tadeusz Firczyk, well-known Oświęcim collector and history enthusiast, guests keen to obtain a dedication from the author in an album donated by the Museum queued up to meet Firczyk. This bilingual publication (in Polish and English) contains 122 photographs taken in Oświęcim over the past 140 years. Each of the 10 chapters has a historical introduction and a plan of the area to which it is devoted.
Many of the guests who attended the opening immediately rented audio-guides and decided to explore all three levels of the exhibition. Others took the opportunity to take a preliminary look at the museum spaces. They announced that they would come again. The youngest visitors will certainly be interested in the educational Superhero Trail outside the building, prepared especially for them.
A visit to the museum currently includes the opportunity to see two temporary exhibitions – “Faces of Resistance” (devoted to those who helped Auschwitz prisoners) and “Creation of the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents” – located in front of the main entrance.
On 14th May, we invite you to participate in the Night of Museums, organised for the first time in the new Remembrance Museum. The main attraction will be mapping – a large-format multimedia projection – with the museum building serving as the screen.
https://www.muzeumpamieci.pl/noc-muzeow-w-muzeum-pamieci-mieszkancow-ziemi-oswiecimskiej/
In June, in turn, the premiere of an unusual, animated film directed by Marek Luzar entitled “Kurierka” (Courier) is planned. It tells the story of the secret mission of Władysława Rzepecka, who, as a 17-year-old girl, delivered documents stolen by prisoners from Auschwitz to Jan Karski.
Practical information for visitors
The Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents is located at 2 A Kolbego Street in Oświęcim.
The permanent exhibition in the museum can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays) from 10.00 to 18.00. Admission is free of charge until the end of June.
There is a free car park right next to the Museum. Cyclists can leave their bikes on the bike racks.
Making a reservation via the website guarantees entry without queuing. We particularly ask tour groups to make an advance reservation.
Website address
https://bilety.muzeumpamieci.pl
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The Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents is a self-governing cultural institution run by the Oświęcim District and co-managed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The mission of the Museum is to carry out activities aimed at the commemoration of the inhabitants of the Land of Oświęcim, with particular emphasis on the aid they rendered to KL Auschwitz prisoners during World War II.
