The African Museum in Olkusz started with the donation from doctor Bogdan Szczygieł and Bożena Szczygieł-Gruszczyńska made in 1971. Doctor Szczygieł went to Africa for the first time in 1964 when he went to Algeria as a volunteer of the Service Civil International. Two years later, he went to Niger where he headed the radiology department of the Niamey hospital for 11 years. He was also a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the local university and a health protection advisor to the President of Niger. At the same time, he studied African history, culture and art, which resulted in the writing of many books about Africa. His wife Bożena, also a physician, worked with Doctor Szczygieł in Niger. They collected a great ethnographic collection and many works of African art. After they returned to Poland, Doctor Szczygieł continued his scientific career. He was also an activist of the Society of Olkusz Land Lovers and the Polish-African Friendship Society.