Museum of Papermaking in Duszniki-Zdrój

The Museum of Papermaking in Duszniki-Zdrój is housed in a 16th- and 17th-century paper mill, on the Bystrzyca Dusznicka river. The institution is run by the Self-Government of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship and was opened in 1968.

A paper mill from centuries past

The first mention of a paper mill in Duszniki dates from 1562, though the works already existed earlier. The building was damaged during the 1601 flood and rebuilt in 1605, confirmed by later dendrochronological research on its wooden elements, carried out by Professor Marek Krąpiec. Architectural research by Professor Rafał Eysymontt showed that the whole building complex was constructed in stages over three centuries.

The mill was built in a timber-framed structure on a stone foundation, with a shingle roof and a Baroque gable. An octagonal, two-storey entrance pavilion in the shape of a tower, covered with a domed shingle roof, leads into the building. Inside, polychromes from the 17th to the 19th century survive, including a biblical scene attributed to the painter Caspar Rathsmann.

Museum and historic monument

The museum was established on 26 July 1968 in the historic mill, and three years later demonstration production of handmade paper was introduced. The building was damaged by the flood of July 1998. Since that year the institution has been run by the Self-Government of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and in 2007-2008 it was adapted for people with disabilities. On 20 September 2011 the paper mill was given the status of a historic monument by decision of the President of Poland. Earlier, by a decision of 6 November 1956, the building had been entered in the register of historic monuments of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

What you'll see inside

Besides its museum activity, the institution produces small quantities of handmade paper, using traditional technology on original, historic machines: a hollander beater, a vat and presses. The collection includes watermarked papers from the 16th to the 21st century, Polish banknotes from 1794 onwards, and exhibitions devoted to the art and history of printing. The museum also has a large collection of historic equipment for testing paper properties, described as one of the largest in the world. Papermaking workshops are run for tourists and organised groups.

Recognition

In 2008 the museum received the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture - Gloria Artis. It is the only working paper mill in Poland and one of the few in Central Europe where paper is made using the traditional method. Since 2019 the site has been a candidate for the UNESCO list, in cooperation with paper mills in the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Italy.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Sprzymierzonych 42, Duszniki-Zdrój, Kłodzko County.
• Nearby: Skały Puchacza and Kamienna Góra.
• The museum is adapted for wheelchair users.
• Opening hours are worth checking before a visit. The museum's website was not working at the time of research.