If someone wants to get a taste of exotic Africa without leaving Poland, they should visit the Africana Museum in Olkusz - an unusual place full of colors, mysteriousmasks and sounds enchanted in tam-tams. This one of Poland's largest museums showcasing the art and culture of the Black Continent was established in 1971 thanks to donations made by Bogdan Szczygiel - the founder of the institution, an Olkusz doctor and writer who spent several years of his life in Africa. To this day, the donation made by Dr. Szczygiel and his wife forms the core of the Olkusz museum's collection. Over time, the collection has expanded with valuable collections donated by private donors. The collection of the Olkusz African Museum includes exhibits depicting the daily life of the tribes of West and Central Africa. A special place in the collection is occupied by items related to the tribes: Tuareg, Dogon, Bambara and Bushongo. The museum exhibits everyday utensils, costumes, ritual masks, musical instruments, amulets, sculptures and jewelry, as well as weapons from various regions of Africa. The collection is dominated by the art of West African tribes, the warlike Tuareg nomads who lived in the Sahara and the mysterious Dogon tribe, which had extraordinary astronomical knowledge and a highly developed artistic culture. The museum also presents a private collection donated to the institution by Anna and Leon Kubarski, including art and paintings of Black Africa, an interesting collection of shells, donated by Krzysztof Kluczewski, and masks and sculptures - a gift from Zbigniew Możdżen. The Dr. Bogdan Szczygieł and Bożena Szczygieł Gruszyńskai African Museum and the Prof. Dr. Anna and Pilot Leon Kubarski Collection of Black African Art and Painting, 32 Szpitalna St., tel/fax: 32 7544455, visiting: Monday-Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday, Sunday - telephone reservations for groups.
03.10.2013
