The Nobleman on the Road

Step into the former carriage house of a noble manor and discover what a landowner needed for travel! On 7 February 2026, the Museum of Noble Tradition in Waplewo Wielkie, a branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk, opened a new exhibition after the revitalisation of the former carriage house, showing carriages and travel accessories from bygone times. It crowns the second stage of the revitalisation of the historic manor-park complex once belonging to the Counts Sierakowski**.

The exhibition The Nobleman on the Road is another element in the presentation of the former life of the nobility and gentry at the Museum of Noble Tradition, a branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk. It is the culmination of the second stage of revitalisation and adaptation of the historic manor-park complex in Waplewo Wielkie for museum, tourist and recreational functions. The first stage covered the revitalisation of the palace; the second covered the restoration of the carriage house, conservation of the entrance gate with reconstruction of its sculptural decoration, and renovation of the retaining wall within the driveway.

The carriage house is one of many outbuildings of the wealthy Sierakowski estate, and the objects displayed here show what accompanied the everyday and distant journeys of the landowner.

The first room refers to the authentic character of the carriage house. Although no photographs of its interior survive, it is known that carriages for both daily outings and longer journeys were kept there. Harnesses, horse trappings (saddles, saddle cloths), bridles (headstalls and reins), breast collars and shafts hung on the walls, and carriage lanterns stood on the shelves. A major attraction, especially for the youngest visitors, is the carriage that visitors can climb into and “give free rein to their imagination”.

The second room, arranged as a museum display, presents a variety of items that made travel more comfortable, along with riding accessories. Long journeys, sometimes lasting over a dozen days and bringing many hardships, became more bearable thanks to carefully designed travel cases, miniature furniture, trunks and hatboxes. Given the proximity of the carriage house and stables, this part of the exhibition also includes elements of riding equipment.

A particular highlight of the display is the historic 18th-century sleigh from the Netherlands, once used during the szlichtada, a custom of driving sleighs, visiting neighbours and inviting them to join the procession. It is possible that similar vehicles were also found on the Waplewo estate.