You don't have to go to Africa to get a taste of it. Here, in Olkusz, is one of Poland's largest museums presenting the art and culture of the Black Continent. It brings together exhibits depicting the daily life of West and Central African tribes.

The beginnings were the private collection of lifelong fans of Africa Bogdan Szczygieł, PhD, and Bożena Szczygieł-Gruszyńska, PhD, which is still the core of the museum today. More donors joined the first collection in 1971, enriching the Olkusz collection. And these transport us to Africa, showcasing ordinary life, traditions, rituals and culture. On display in Olkusz are everyday utensils, costumes, ritual masks, musical instruments, amulets, sculptures and jewellery, and weapons from various regions of Africa. Objects associated with the tribes hold a special place in the collection: Tuaregs, known as the 'blue knights of the Sahara', Dogon, Bambara and Bushongo.

Compared to other Africanist museums, the Olkusz institution is distinguished by the authenticity of the objects it collects. For painting lovers, the collection of Black African paintings is sure to be an interesting experience. These paintings were painted by artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1960s and 1970s.