By the Roads Museum

Muzeum Przy Drodach

A unique open-air museum showcasing roadside shrines, folk religious monuments, and vernacular architecture from the Lublin region. It preserves rural Polish traditions and spiritual folk heritage in a thoughtfully curated outdoor setting.

Things to do

• Explore Roadside Shrines Collection — Wander through the museum's carefully preserved wayside chapels, crosses, and shrines that once dotted rural Polish roads, each with unique carvings and religious iconography.
• Visit Traditional Wooden Architecture Exhibits — Examine authentic wooden cottages, barns, and outbuildings relocated to the museum grounds that showcase vernacular building techniques from the Lublin countryside.
• Photograph Folk Religious Monuments — Document intricate stone and wooden monuments featuring religious symbols, decorative patterns, and folk art that reflect centuries of rural spiritual expression.
• Attend Seasonal Folk Craft Demonstrations — Participate in workshops where artisans demonstrate traditional woodcarving, stone masonry, and other crafts used to create the roadside monuments.
• Walk the Ethnographic Trails — Follow themed pathways through the museum that organize exhibits by region, time period, and religious function, providing context for the folk heritage on display.
• Study Religious Folk Art Details — Examine closely the hand-carved religious scenes, patron saint depictions, and decorative motifs that reveal the artistic skill and spiritual devotion of rural communities.

Food to try

• Żurek (Sour Rye Soup) — This traditional Lublin region soup made from fermented rye flour, pork, and mushrooms is hearty and tangy, often served in a bread bowl at local restaurants near the museum.
• Kluski Śląskie (Silesian Dumplings) — Soft potato and flour dumplings served with sauerkraut and meat, representing the comfort food traditions of eastern Poland that visitors can find at nearby countryside inns.
• Piernik Lubelski (Lublin Gingerbread) — A spiced honey cake traditionally made in Lublin since the 18th century, available at local bakeries and gift shops as an authentic regional sweet to bring home.
• Bigos (Hunter's Stew) — A slow-cooked mixture of cabbage, meat, and mushrooms that represents rural Polish home cooking, commonly served at small restaurants throughout the Lublin region.
• Fresh Dairy Products from Local Farms — Seek out fresh twaróg (cottage cheese), sour cream, and butter from nearby rural farms that supply traditional Polish dishes and embody the agricultural heritage the museum celebrates.

Local customs & good to know

• Respect Sacred Spaces — Treat all roadside shrines and religious monuments with reverence as active spiritual objects, not merely historical artifacts; many Poles still venerate these sites.
• Visit During Warmer Months — Plan your visit from May through September when the open-air museum is most accessible and seasonal folk demonstrations and events are likely to occur.
• Hire a Local Guide — English signage is limited, so a Polish-speaking guide greatly enhances understanding of the religious symbolism, regional variations, and historical contexts of the exhibits.
• Dress Modestly — As a museum centered on religious folk heritage, modest clothing is appropriate and shows respect for the sacred nature of the objects and traditions on display.