Toy Museum in Karpacz

At ulica Kolejowa 3 in Karpacz stands a historic building that was once a railway station, today home to the Miejskie Muzeum Zabawek (Municipal Museum of Toys). The station served passenger traffic on the line from Mysłakowice, and after years of interruption in passenger services the building was renovated and has served as a museum since May 2012.

The Henryk Tomaszewski collection

The museum's collection was founded in 1995, based on the private collection of Henryk Tomaszewski, a well-known mime artist and founder of the Wrocław Pantomime Theatre. The exhibition covers almost three hundred years of toy history: from 18th-century nativity-scene figures, through 19th-century porcelain dolls, to toys typical of the 20th century. The exhibits come from Poland and abroad, including Japan, Australia, Mexico, Russia and Germany, and the display cases were designed by the Kraków set designer Kazimierz Wiśniak.

Toys on the ground floor, temporary exhibitions upstairs

The founder's collection occupies a large hall on the ground floor of the former station, while the first floor is set aside for temporary exhibitions related to toys and childhood. When moving to the new building, the character of the exhibition as originally designed by the museum's founder was preserved, and some of the toys also gained new display cases and audio guides.

A virtual tour of the museum

For people who cannot visit Karpacz in person, the museum has prepared a virtual tour of its interiors, funded by the National Centre for Culture as part of the "Culture Online" project. It's a good way to get a sense of the exhibition layout before an actual visit, especially with a group or children.

The railway heritage room

An additional attraction is a room devoted to railways, showing exhibits from the collections of the Museum of Industry and Railways in Silesia in Jaworzyna Śląska as well as from the institution's own collection. Here you can see a three-metre freight wagon, an old ticket office and miniature train models, a reminder of the building's original function.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Kolejowa 3, Karpacz, in the building of the former railway station.
• Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9:00-16:30, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-17:30, closed on Mondays.
• The building is adapted for wheelchair users.
• Nearby, in the same part of Karpacz, it's worth combining the visit with Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki w Karpaczu and Karkonoskie Tajemnice.

Nearby

For electronics enthusiasts, the Video Game Console Museum in Karpacz is also close by, and those looking for contact with nature can walk from there to the Dziki Wodospad (Wild Waterfall).