There are three (3) main themes for
 Displays
at Canada's Polish Kashub Heritage Museum/Skansen
as well as permanent & seasonal displays

# 1. Remembering Our Polish Kashub Pioneers and Pioneer Days in the First Polish Settlement area  as well as in and around the town of Renfrew, Ontario and in the Polish Hills of Otter Lake, Quebec
looking at life on the farm and in the town;
in the home and in the barn;
in the fields and in the forests;
in the church and in the community.
The emphasis is on aspects that  made  the Polish Kashub pioneers unique from other pioneer immigrant groups - things like:
their language and music; & their customs and beliefs. Artifacts include their handmade Wilno Furniture,
their Polish prayer and hymn books ("spiewniks"), religious articles,
as well as more typical pioneer artifacts which belonged to the original immigrant families.

#2. Remembering Our Roots in Poland
with Kashubian costumes as well as more traditional Polish costumes,
Kashubian embroidery and floral patterns,
pottery and ceramics,
horned objects, and other memorabilia.

#3.  Remembering Our Men who Fought for Poland and for Canada
with emphasis on the young men who fought in the Polish forces [Haller's Army] in WWI and then after the war was over, went to Poland and continued to fight for Poland even though they were Canadian born.
Displays include the "blue" Polish Forces uniform that belonged to Paul Coulas, service records, passports, postcards and medals as well as a  WWI display including photographs and documentation on the men from Canada's First Polish Settlement who fought for Canada. Also a scrapbook on our men who fought in WWII.

In 2008, a number of permanent displays were set up in the log farmhouse where the emphasis is on the life of the Polish Kashub immigrant family in their new home in Canada.

The displays in the Log Shed [See Building #2 ] focus on the store, post office, railway station and school in the pioneer Polish Kashub Community, as well as on the life of the farmer, forest worker, carpenter /cabinetmaker and blacksmith. This display area will change in 2009-2010 as the farm, forest and blacksmith articles will be moved to the Timber Frame Shed and displayed along with some larger, handmade farm and forest machinery.

The emphasis of the displays in the main log cabin is on the Polish Kashubian cultural heritage of these immigrant families, as well as the story of their immigration. The main building also houses the Resource Library and Heritage Store and acts as the Welcoming Centre to the Museum and Park.

Then there are also seasonal displays that change each year. In 2006, the emphasis was on music to coincide with the release of the CDs Folk Music from Canada's First Polish Community and Songs and Dances from Canada's First Polish Community.

These displays emphasized the arrival of the first Kashub families to Canada, including their identities, immigration documents from 1858, early land documents,
and the difficulties they faced in the new world. 
The displays also celebrated Canada's unique Polish Kashub Cultural Heritage.

1865 deed for one of the first land claims for Kashubian Immigrant
Joseph Rolbecki/Lorbetski

For more information on the Wilno Heritage Society e-mail:
heritage@wilno.org