Located in the city centre in a historic 18th century manor house. The manor house once served as an inn and later as a residential house. It belonged to the Onitsch family, who sold the building to the city in the 1920s to be made into a theatre that was eventually built elsewhere.

The museum displays the traditional folk culture of the Tarnów region. It also has a section devoted to the history and culture of the Roma. In the courtyard, an open-air exhibition consisting of beautiful carts from the famous Gypsy caravans is held seasonally. The Roma collection was established in Tarnów in 1979, the year in which the first Roma-themed exhibition in Poland was organised there. During temporary exhibitions, the museum also invites visitors to learn about the cultures of other nations. The museum organises popular competitions, such as the 'Painted Cottage in Zalipie' competition and the Easter egg and ritual art competition, and also conducts educational activities in the form of museum lessons and art workshops, during which it promotes regional traditions.