Bielsko-Biała Museum and Castle facts for kids

The Castle in Bielsko-Biała, Poland

The Bielsko-Biała Museum, also known as the Castle of the Sułkowski Princes, is a museum in the city of Bielsko-Biała, Poland. It is located inside the historic Bielsko Castle. Since the 1970s, three other museum locations have opened: the Julian Fałat Museum, the Museum of Technology and Textile Industry, and the Weaver's House Museum.

History of the Museum
The Castle
- Permanent exhibition
Museum of Technology and Textile Industry
The Weaver's House
Julian Fałat's Villa
Gallery
See also

History of the Museum

A historic stained-glass window with symbols inside the castle

The Bielsko-Biała Museum, with its main home in the Bielsko Castle, continues a tradition that started at the beginning of the 20th century. Back then, the local governments of two separate towns, Bielsko and Biała, decided to create their own museums.

The Biała Municipal Museum was started by a teacher named Erwin Hanslik. This happened after the city council made a decision on December 19, 1902. Around the same time, in nearby Bielsko, a local leader named Arthur Schmidt had a similar idea. In 1903, a big effort began in Bielsko to collect interesting old items for a museum. These items were shown in June 1903 at a display of local treasures. A few months later, the Bielsko City Council created the Municipal Museum in Bielsko.

The Biała Museum opened on December 3, 1904, in the City Hall. It stayed there until 1920, when its activities stopped. The items were stored away, and the building was used for other things. The museum reopened in 1932 in the basement of the building. It stayed there until World War II began, when it closed down.

The Bielsko Museum opened to the public on February 25, 1906. It was in the Old Town Hall at 9 Rynek and stayed open until 1941. Between World War I and World War II, its collection grew a lot thanks to its manager, Edward Schnack. At that time, it was one of the largest regional museums in Poland.

In 1941, during World War II, the two city museums were combined into one. This new museum was located in Biała. It remained there until the war ended.

In 1945, a decision was made to bring the museum back. The Municipal Museum in Bielsko opened to the public on February 14, 1947. Since the 1970s, several other locations have been added:

The Julian Fałat Museum (1973)
The Museum of Technology and Textile Industry (1979)
The Weaver's House Museum (1992)

Since 2001, the museum has been called the Bielsko-Biała Museum. Since 2013, it has been known as the Bielsko-Biała Historical Museum.

The Castle

A staircase in the castle

The Music Hall

The Castle stands tall in the center of Bielsko-Biała. It is the oldest and most important historical building in the old part of Bielsko. A legend says that long ago, a group of robbers lived where the castle is now. They would attack traveling merchants. Prince Casimir from the Piast family is said to have defeated the robbers and built a hunting palace there. Over time, this palace grew into a grand castle, and the city of Bielsko grew around it.

The oldest part of the Castle dates back to the 14th century. Over the next hundreds of years, the Castle changed and grew. It was a city castle, part of Bielsko's defenses from the very beginning. It was also a border stronghold. First, it guarded the borders of nearby regions. Later, it protected the border between Czech and Polish lands, and then the border between Austria and Poland.

After the late 16th century, the Castle's role as a defense building became less important. It slowly changed into a fancy home for noble families. The castle looks the way it does today because of a big renovation in the late 19th century. This renovation completely changed its old style.

From 1899 to 1973, there was a row of shops in front of the eastern part of the Castle. These shops made the castle look even more interesting. However, they were taken down to make Zamkowa Street wider.

The Castle was built by the Piast family, who ruled the Cieszyn region. It was one of their homes for over 200 years. From 1572, it became the main center for the independent Bielsko area. This area was ruled by noble families like the Promnitzes, Schaffgotsches, Sunneghs, Solmses, and Haugwitzes. In 1752, this area became a duchy and was ruled by the Sułkowski family.

The Bielsko Duchy existed until 1849. At that time, Austria introduced new ways of organizing the land, ending the old ways of ruling. The duchy became part of the Bielsko District. The Castle itself and many lands around the city stayed with the Sułkowski family until 1945. After World War II, the Polish State took over the Castle. It was then used as a home for many cultural groups. Since 1983, the Castle has been used only by the national Museum in Bielsko-Biała, which is managed by the local government in Katowice.

Permanent exhibition

"Blue salon" with art gallery.

The main exhibition in the Castle is on the first floor. You enter through a 19th-century entrance hall, which was restored in 2001.

In the west part of the building, you can find a hunting room and an armory (a place for weapons). The next two rooms show three centuries of art history, from the 15th to the 17th century. Near these rooms are a rococo concert hall and a Biedermeier room.

The east part of the Castle has a gallery of 19th and 20th-century paintings and graphic art. The rooms in the north part of the building have an exhibition about the history of the city and the Castle. They also show the traditions of craftsmans from old Bielsko and Biała.

The art gallery in the east wing displays 19th-century paintings. These include realistic art and works from the "Young Poland" period. There are also works by artists connected to Bielsko-Biała from the time between the World Wars and modern times. Along the entrance hall facing the courtyard, you can see a collection of graphic art from the early 20th century. There are also portraits of people from Bielsko and Biała from the 19th and 20th centuries.

On the ground floor of the Castle, there are three other rooms. These rooms are used for temporary exhibitions that change over time.

Museum of Technology and Textile Industry

Machines at the preliminary section in the Museum of Technology

This museum keeps alive the history of the wool industry in Bielsko-Biała. It does this by collecting machines, tools, and documents related to making textiles. The items are shown in four rooms. Each room represents a different part of an old textile factory: the first steps of processing, the weaving area, and the finishing area. There is also a separate section with machines for making hats.

The museum also has displays about the history of the Bielsko-Biała fire brigade and the city's water supply system. You can also see a small printing office and a "museum granary." This granary stores historical household items, radio sets, typewriters, and more. Old lathes, drilling machines, and locksmith tools remind visitors of the history of metal processing industry in Bielsko.

The Weaver's House

The exhibition in the Weaver's House shows what a weaver’s home and workshop looked like. It tries to show how people lived and worked around the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A hallway divides the house into two main parts: the workshop is on the left of the entrance, and the living area (with a kitchen and bedroom) is on the right.

The Weaver's House is a great example of an old wooden town house. It uniquely shows how craftsmans worked, especially when guilds (groups of skilled workers) were very powerful.

Julian Fałat's Villa

Julian Fałat's Villa

The Julian Fałat Museum in Bystra Śląska is located in the artist's historic home, called “Fałatówka.” Visitors can learn about the artist's work and some details of his life. This is the house where Fałat lived after he retired from being the head of the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts.

The exhibition shows his oil paintings and watercolours. These include self-portraits, portraits of his family and friends, landscapes from his many travels, and paintings related to hunting.

The exhibition also has old documents about his life, art, and work for society. These items include his school certificates, photos of Fałat with his family and friends, diplomas, awards, and letters. There are also souvenirs from his travels around the world.