Museum of the Wisnicz

On the edge of the historic town, next to the road leading from the castle to the marketplace, there is the building called the Institution of the Poor (which used to be called the hospital). The place was founded by Stanisław Lubomirski in 1641 and initially helped the poor and the elderly from the region of Wiśnicz. In the 19th century, the estate was priced at 5000 Rhenium zlotys, which was at disposal of the local parsons. The Museum of the Wiśnicz Land was opened in 2002, after the renovation of the very much destroyed building. The major role of the museum is to gather and document regional souvenirs (souvenirs from the II World War, medals, books, old documents, photographs of Wiśnicz and even the shackles from the prison in Wiśnicz as well as the only preserved uniform of a prison guard officer from before the Second World War).

One of the most valuable exhibits of the museum is the cannon barrel from the 17th century, which is marked with the arms of Stanisław Lubomirski. The barrel from Wiśnicz is one of the four existing barrels, which once used to belong to the family of Lubomirski. The remaining three can be found in the Wawel Castle, yet the one from Wiśnicz is the oldest. The museum also collects the artworks associated with the region and the artists who came from the region of Nowy Wiśnicz such as Stanisław Klimowski, Jan Stasiniewicz, Marian Rojek or Rev. Stanisław Nowak. One of the museum chambers is devoted to artworks of Professor Czesław Dźwigaj (designs of stained glass-works, the series of bas-reliefs called “Elegies”, memorial medals, and series of miniatures casted out of bronze called “Phantasmagorias”). Other exhibits include the personal gifts of Saint John Paul II, which are the calotte and the rosary.

In 2008, the Museum of the Wiśnicz Land took over the management of the castle of the families of Kmita and Lubomirski, therefore, in some part of the museum’s exhibition, there are the relics associated with the past of the noble residence. The Museum, altogether with the Municipal Center of Culture in Nowy Wiśnicz, organizes many events promoting the castle, the town and the region such as for instance “the Holiday with ghosts” – a form of history lesson combined with visiting inaccessible – on a regular basis – undergrounds of the castle.