The Sub-Carpathian Museum (formerly Muzeum Okręgowe, but generally known as the “paraffin-lamp museum”) is situated in Krosno Old Town, in a building going back to the late 14^th century which was once the bishop’s residence. At the time when it was purchased by Eryk of Winsen, the first Bishop of Przemyśl, it was a wooden manor-house. It remained in the hands of the bishops of Przemyśl until 1626, and served as their temporary residence. After a fire of the town in 1638 it was restored by the Lady Zofia, wife of the Lord Castellan Skotnicki of Połaniec. In 1873 it was purchased by the municipal authorities and for the next few decades was used for a variety of purposes, such as barracks, a school, offices, and residential premises. Since 1954 the building has housed our Museum, which was originally a community-run institution founded by the PTTK Polish ramblers’ and country lovers’ association. In 1958 the Museum became a state-owned institution and changed its name to Muzeum w Krośnie (the Krosno Museum). There have been two further changes of its name (Muzeum Okręgowe, 1975; and its present name, Muzeum Podkarpackie, in 2000). In 1987-1995 we had a general overhaul of the historic part of the property, and a new east wing was built. Our Museum is now run by the Voivodeship of Sub-Carpathia. We have the following Departments: Archaeology, History, Art, History of Illumination, History of Glass and the Glassmaking Industry, Education and Promotion, the Administrative and Economic Department, the Finance and Accounts Department,  and the Library.

The Museum also owns half of a property in ulica Jana Szczepanika in Krosno, which was once the house of August Mazurkiewicz, one of its founders (1889-1968). We are also arranging an open-air museum location with an archaeological exhibition at a place called Trzcinica near Jasło.

The Museum has a guest room to put up its special visitors.