The Role of Museology in Decolonizing the Preservation of the Cultural Heritage of Ethnic Minorities Discussed on the Case of the Museum of Vilamovian Culture in Wilamowice

Abstract

This article presents the development of the Museum of Vilamovian Culture in the context
of the decolonial turn in Polish museology. Grassroots efforts to reclaim agency by the
Vilamovian community led to the establishment of a museum institution created by a previously marginalized group. The museum serves not only as an exhibition space but also as an active center for language revitalization, identity reconstruction, and the cultivation of collective memory. The author — researcher, participant in the process, and member of the community — explores the complexity of resistance mechanisms against symbolic violence and the potential of deep local participation in contemporary cultural institutions. This case study sheds new light on the role of museums as tools of cultural agency and transformation.