Abstract
The paper presents a few personal considerations on the author’s visit to ethnological institutions in Poland. Information about the state of art of ethnology and cultural anthropology in this country are connected with its history, geography, ethnical and religious diversity that influenced Poland’s cultural development over the centuries. The 19th century discovery of the peasant’s role in shaping the Polish culture, intellectuals’ interest for folk culture and art are continued by the interwar and post-war schools of domestic ethnology and folkloristics. Contemporary Polish debates over the most relevant names and methodological paths that the discipline should follow are also mentioned and analyzed in connection with how they impact the activity and ideology of local museums of ethnography. The history and current exhibitions of two of the most important museums of ethnography in this country (The State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw and “Seweryn Udziela” Museum of Ethnography in Cracow) are discussed.
Keywords: Poland, ethnology, cultural anthropology, ethnographic museum, Warsaw, Cracow, new museology, ethnographic exhibition, ethno-education.
Cuvinte-cheie: Polonia, etnologie, antropologie culturală, muzeu etnografic, Varşovia, Cracovia, noua muzeologie, expoziţie etnografică, etno-educaţie.