The story of rituals, customs, and festive objects from various traditions and religious rites in Poland and Europe unfolds across more than 850 m², brought to life through thousands of exhibits. The extremely modern exhibition resembles contemporary shopping galleries – spacious interiors, mannequins dressed behind glass, drawers filled with accessories and decorations. In this way, it presents traditionally perceived “folk culture” in a new light.
At the heart of Celebration Time is the folk “costume” – a special outfit worn for all kinds of celebrations, closely linked with dance, music, and rituals. The exhibition showcases its diversity through 100 festive costumes from Poland and Europe, along with artifacts related to rituals. Drawers filled with jewelry, laces, and decorative embroidery highlight the richness of Polish and European traditions, while side rooms display festive interior decorations, including those connected to the traditions of religious minorities.
Visually, the atmosphere of the rituals is also created by a collection of valuable votive paintings, folk sculptures, decorated eggs, paper cuttings, Christmas ornaments, and carnival props. The exhibition presents tradition, but also comments on contemporary life and raises questions about the role of folk style in popular culture. It reveals the influence of folklore on fashion, applied arts, and music from the 1930s to the present day.
The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Regional Operational Programme of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship 2007–2013, as well as from the budget of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.
