History of Polish Shoemakers, Saddlers, and Leatherworkers. Free Admission.

Information from the website:

The Guild of Shoemakers was always known for its great devotion to religion and the church. The elders and past elders of the Guild, upon taking office, took an oath that read: „We swear to Almighty God, His Majesty the Monarch, and the City Council, now and forever, to be faithful and obedient whenever they command us. We will not harbor dissolute journeymen, we will keep the city's secrets, we will administer justice to everyone within the Guild according to the Guild's articles, and we will observe order in the church as well as in the Guild.".

The patron saints of shoemakers are Saints Crispin and Crispinian, Roman patricians from the 2nd century AD. They were persecuted for their Christian faith. They were exiled to southern France. There, they worked as sandal makers. In 1719, the Shoemakers' Guild founded an altar for them in St. Hyacinth's Church on Freta Street, as an expression of their religious feelings.

The museum was founded in 1973 through the efforts and funds of the Leatherworking Guild. The museum is located in the Guild's building at 10 Wąski Dunaj Street.

The museum is named after Jan Kiliński. In 1936, it was the 550th anniversary of the Guild. This year was a great celebration of Polish craftsmanship. President Ignacy Mościcki unveiled a monument to the national hero – shoemaker Jan Kiliński, and the then-President of Warsaw, Stefan Starzyński, said, „This is a monument to the glory and pride of the people of Warsaw, and of craftsmanship in particular." In 1979, Ms. Bożena Hensoldt, after visiting the Museum, wrote in the museum guestbook, „The more I know about myself, the greater respect I have for myself and our fathers. The initiative to create such a museum is worthy of recognition, imitation, and popularization. The items collected here are not just museum objects, but a part of the lives and hearts of the people associated with them." The Guild members entered the arena of political life at the end of the 18th century, demonstrating their patriotism. It was the shoemaker Jan Kiliński who at the head of the people of Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising, and it was Stanisław Hiszpański, a shoemaker and member of the National Government during the January Uprising, who fought against the invader, albeit not with weapons.

The Museum of the Guild of Leather Crafts is located in a tenement house that has been owned by the Warsaw Shoemakers' Guild since 1593. It is situated at the corner of Wąski and Szeroki Dunaj 10, and it stands as a historical monument to past generations of Warsaw shoemakers. The idea of organizing a museum dates back to the 1960s. At that time, the Guild's Board, concerned about the state of the craft and the progressive closure of workshops, decided to preserve the memory of their work and history for future generations. The initiative garnered interest primarily from the artisan community and wider society. In May 1972, the Guild approached the Directorate of the Historical Museum of the Capital City of Warsaw with a request for substantive support. Professor Janusz Durko responded favorably and supported the initiative. Ms. Wanda Szaniawska and Ms. Lidia Eberle served as consultants. The visual design was entrusted to Professor Maciej Raducki. Essential assistance was provided by the then management of the Chamber of Crafts. The artisans' dedication was surprising. The museum opened in January 1973. At that time, it was housed in three stylish rooms. The museum's aim was not only to showcase disappearing craft professions but also their specificity, to present the artisan working within them, serving people in their daily lives.