The museum was founded on 4 May 1953 on the initiative of Captain Zbigniew Konrad Gęsikowski and has been run by the Alwernia Volunteer Fire Brigade for almost half a century. Thanks to the almost missionary work of the Alwernia firefighters, these monuments are regaining their splendour and are a living history lesson. Among the more than 4,000 exhibits, there are some real gems, such as the fire engines from 1910–1913 or the even older ones, which are still in working order. The Alwernia Museum also has a rich collection of artefacts from different regions and periods. Amongst the collections, a sizeable place is taken by collections of medals, decorations, flags, hand-held fire extinguishers, motor pumps, axes, helmets and banners. Notably, the Alwernia firefighters voluntarily and through their own efforts conserve these unique monuments. Their efforts were recognised with the annual 'Sibylla' award from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in 1999 for their achievements in the conservation of a unique 1926 Mercedes fire engine. 

In 2022, work began on a new, larger building for the Fire Fighting Museum. It was completed at the end of 2023 when the Małopolska Fire Fighting Museum in Alwernia was incorporated as a branch into the structure of the Museum of Western Małopolska in Wygiełzów.