Polish Cultural Institute and Museum

The Polish Cultural Institute and Museum resides in a three-story building that was built in 1890 by the Laird-Norton Lumber Company. The building was purchased in 1970 by Rev. Paul J. Breza and was converted into a museum to document the history of Winona’s vibrant Kashubian Polish community. The Institute and Museum maintains Winona’s Kashubian Polish traditions through events and other initiatives. Smaczne Jablka (Apple Day) is celebrated annually along with other important holidays. Every summer, the Polish Museum sends two or three Winona high school students to Winona’s sister city of Bytow, Poland for a month, and arranges for two or three Bytow high school students to spend a month in Winona. Volunteers from the Polish Museum perform concerts, make public appearances in the Winona community, and maintain Internet resources dedicated to furthering an appreciation of Kashubian Polish culture.