The museum was founded in 1925 by brothers Alois and Bohumír Jaroňěk to preserve the vernacular architecture of the Beskydy region.
It is the first open-air museum established in the former Czechoslovakia.
The Wooden Church of St. Anne is a precise reconstruction of a 17th-century church that stood in Větřkovice until it burned down in 1879.
The site includes fully functioning technical monuments, such as a water-powered sawmill and a fulling mill used for processing wool.
Many of the buildings were disassembled beam-by-beam, transported to Rožnov, and reassembled using original historical construction methods.
The museum grounds serve as a conservation site for old breeds of livestock and traditional fruit tree varieties indigenous to the Carpathians.
It regularly hosts the Rožnov Folk Festival, one of the oldest folklore events in the Czech Republic.
The museum acts as a repository for intangible cultural heritage, documenting disappearing regional dialects and folk customs.
The Wallachian Open Air Museum is the oldest and largest open-air folk architecture museum in Central Europe, located in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. It preserves the traditional lifestyle of the Wallachian region through three distinct sections: the Wooden Town, the Wallachian Village, and the Water Mill Valley. The museum comprises over 150 historical timber structures, including houses, farmsteads, and a wooden church, relocated from their original sites to mimic historical settlement patterns. It functions as a living history site where craftspeople demonstrate traditional techniques such as weaving, blacksmithing, and beekeeping. The Wooden Town section serves as a replica of a historical town square, featuring a municipal hall and market stalls. The Wallachian Village showcases the agrarian life and rural architecture of the Carpathian foothills. The Water Mill Valley highlights the historical use of water power in milling and local industry. Throughout the year, the museum hosts folk festivals, seasonal performances, and workshops based on traditional religious and agricultural calendars. It remains a key cultural institution for understanding Moravian social history and folk building styles.
The wooden bridge in the Water Mill Valley provides an unobstructed view of the water-powered timber mills.
Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes as the terrain in the Village and Mill sections is hilly and includes dirt paths.
Check the museum's calendar for 'living history' days, when actors dress in period clothing and perform daily household tasks.
Allocate enough time to visit the Water Mill Valley separately, as it is a short distance from the main Wooden Town complex.
Do not attempt to see all three sections in under two hours; rushing through results in missing the immersive details of the interiors.
Individual sections may have limited access during the winter season; the museum is generally closed on Mondays during the off-peak period.
Respect the 'Do Not Touch' signs on historical artifacts; follow paths strictly to protect the preserved meadows.
