Podlaskie Museum – Museum in Tykocin

Medals available at the main entrance!

The Tykocin Museum was established on November 1, 1976, housed in preserved buildings of the former Jewish community: a 17th-century Great Synagogue and the reconstructed Great Beit Midrash (destroyed during WWII). The museum’s core collections—showcasing the history and culture of Tykocin and its surroundings—were assembled in the 1970s–1990s. Highlights include:

A Judaica collection

Pharmacy artifacts (equipment from historic provincial pharmacies and archival documents)

Household items from the late 19th century to WWII

Family archives documenting local lineages

With over 3,800 exhibits, the museum vividly portrays Tykocin’s past and cultural heritage over the last two centuries.

From its inception, the museum has actively engaged both local residents and visitors from larger cities (notably Białystok) through:

Educational lectures and workshops

Poetry evenings and theatrical performances

Concerts (featuring klezmer music and Jewish songs in the Great Synagogue)

Since the 1990s, it has hosted lecture cycles tied to Jewish holidays and staged immersive reenactments of traditional Jewish celebrations. The museum also honors Polish traditions through national holiday events and historical commemorations in its salon.