Over 6.5 PLN is money from the European funds, and together with nearly 3 million of own funds of the museum in Duszniki-Zdrój, the total is 9.5 million PLN.
The money will serve not only to renovate the historical drying room, adapting it for sightseeing, but also to digitalize the most precious items in the collection, and to secure the museum from fire in the state-of-the-art way. It is most important, as the 17th century paper mill is completely made of wood.
Pulp paper made in Duszniki
Duszniki-Zdrój, a small spa town at Bystrzyca Dusznicka river is famous in Poland from a few things - a historical Chopin's manor house from early 19th century (the then young composer held one charity concert here), and the Museum of Papermaking, held in one of the few paper mills still existing in the world. What is vital, besides exhibition purposes, the wooden building is still acting as a manufacture, still making paper with traditional methods, and also organizing workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions. Once a year, always in July, a Paper Festival is organized, a part of which is the promotion of traditional ways of paper-making.
Renovation and digitalization: making museum more modern
Over 9.5 million zlotys (funds from the EEA Financial Mechanism and Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014, as well as own funds) is first and foremost to serve to renovate and adapt a historical drying room, but also a genuine paper-making revolution is planned. It pertains not only to digitalization of the most precious exhibits (those including hand-made paper with watermarks come from as far back as 16th century), but also to making the museum available to the physically, visually and hearing-impaired (some exhibits will bear description in Braille. Also, rumour has it that high relief copies of objects will appear, which help the visually impaired to imagine what a given building looks like). Also, the assemblage of a special water mist fire-fighting system, now very much praised in Europe, especially among museum workers. The water mist system is better than the traditional one, as in case of emergency it does not damage the exhibits (especially paper ones) and many of them can be then salvaged.
The programme will be accomplished until March 2016.
Magdalena Talik
