Museum of Highlanders and Brigands in Rabka-Zdrój

A museum in the heart of a spa town

The museum operates in Rabka-Zdrój at the foot of the Gorce Mountains and tells the story of the former inhabitants of this part of Lesser Poland, as well as of the brigands who became a permanent part of highland folklore. The display is built around interactive stations, so a visit feels more like a journey back in time than a walk past cases.

What is inside

The wooden buildings house cottage furnishings, regional costumes and craftsmen's tools, and beside them relics of the brigands: wanted notices and court sentences. A separate place is given to the collection of Pensive Christ figures and folk saints, and to the glass paintings by Jan Fudala, one of the best-known folk artists of the region.

Shepherding roots

Part of the exhibition is devoted to pastoral traditions and the Vlach roots of highland culture, which shaped the dialect, dress and customs of Podhale. A visit takes about an hour, is held indoors and works well in bad weather and with children.