INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

The open-air museum in Wielka Nieszawka, part of the Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, is set to be expanded. It will gain additional structures that will more fully present the heritage of Olender settlement and the cultural diversity of the region. The letter of intent on this matter was signed on Wednesday (April 1) in Wielka Nieszawka by Marshal Piotr Całbecki, Director Hubert Czachowski, and the Mayor of the Wielka Nieszawka municipality, Katarzyna Streich.

– “For years, the regional self-government has consistently supported projects of our Ethnographic Museum. The cultural park in Wielka Nieszawka is a space for education, inspiration, and meetings, attracting tourists from Poland and abroad. The planned expansion is a project that will further broaden our knowledge of Olender heritage in Kujawy and Pomorze,” emphasized Marshal Piotr Całbecki.

The Olender Ethnographic Park in Wielka Nieszawka invites visitors into the world of former settlers along the Vistula River. The open-air museum presents the history of the Mennonites – Protestants from the Netherlands who, from the 16th century, settled in floodplain areas along the river. On a five-hectare site, an Olender village consisting of three homesteads has been reconstructed. It features residential and farm buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, relocated from the Lower Vistula Valley. Their interiors faithfully recreate the atmosphere of Mennonite homes, characterized by simplicity and modesty. The charm of the site is enhanced by reconstructed gardens and orchards, and an important element of the exhibition is also a Mennonite cemetery that was in use until 1945.

Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

April 1, 2026
Last updated: April 2, 2026