Attraction in Zakopane

Kornel Makuszynski Museum

A biographical and literary museum in Zakopane devoted to Kornel Makuszynski, the children's author who created the goat character Koziolek Matolek. It occupies the Villa Opolanka, where the writer lived and worked.

Reviewed and updated July 2026

The Kornel Makuszynski Museum is a biographical and literary house museum in Zakopane devoted to Kornel Makuszynski (1884 to 1953), the children's author best known for creating the goat character Koziolek Matolek. People visit to step inside the writer's actual home, the Villa Opolanka on Tetmajera Street, where his original furnishings, library and art collection remain in place. It is a branch of the Tatra Museum and a familiar stop for families, especially those whose children grew up with his books.

What you see inside Villa Opolanka

The museum keeps the interiors much as Makuszynski left them, so the visit is less about display cases and more about a preserved home. You walk through rooms furnished with the writer's own pieces, his personal library and the art collection he gathered over a lifetime. The setting gives a direct sense of how the author lived and worked. For readers who grew up with Koziolek Matolek, seeing the desk and shelves behind the stories is the main draw.

The writer and the Villa Opolanka

Kornel Makuszynski was one of Poland's most loved authors for young readers, and Koziolek Matolek, the goat who sets off to find the town where goats are shod, became a lasting part of Polish childhood. The Makuszynski family first came to the Villa Opolanka for holidays, then settled here permanently after the Second World War. Making a museum of the house he lived in until his death in 1953 keeps that connection between the man and the place intact.

Who it suits and how it fits a Zakopane trip

This is a compact, low-key stop rather than a large gallery, which makes it well suited to families and to anyone interested in Polish literature. It pairs naturally with the other Tatra Museum branches around town, since it is part of the same institution. If you are planning your wider trip, our Zakopane guide covers where this sits among the town's other sights. Set aside a short visit and combine it with a walk through the surrounding streets.

Good to know

As a branch of the Tatra Museum, the museum keeps its own opening days and ticket details, so check the Tatra Museum's official channels before you go.

Frequently asked questions

He was a Polish children's author who lived from 1884 to 1953 and created the well known goat character Koziolek Matolek. The museum is set in the Villa Opolanka, the house where he and his family settled permanently after the Second World War.

Yes. It is a popular stop for families, particularly those whose children know Makuszynski's books, and the preserved home is small and easy to walk through.

Yes, it is a branch of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane, so it shares that institution and pairs well with the museum's other sites around town. Check the Tatra Museum's official channels for current opening times and tickets.

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