Múzeum kysuckej dediny

The Museum of the Kysuce Village is an open-air museum located near the village of Nová Bystrica, in its part called Vychylovka, in the Chmúra valley. The area is part of the Kysuce Protected Landscape Area, so the setting of the open-air museum itself is exceptionally beautiful and well preserved. The museum captures the architecture, culture, and way of life in the Kysuce region during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

The open-air museum was founded on 11 October 1974, and one of the main reasons for its establishment was the construction of the Nová Bystrica reservoir. Its first task was in fact to rescue monuments of folk architecture from the villages of Riečnica and Harvelka, which disappeared due to the dam's construction. This made it possible to preserve for future generations a piece of the vanishing world of Kysuce villages.

The exhibition includes 34 buildings, mostly residential houses and farm buildings, but also a tavern from Korňa, two mills, and a brick chapel from Zborov nad Bystricou. The biggest draw for visitors is the narrow-gauge forest railway with a switchback system — a technical rarity that makes a visit to the open-air museum an experience for the whole family. Walking among the wooden houses and riding the historic railway brings life in Kysuce closer, like an open book.

Vychylovka and the surroundings of Nová Bystrica lie at the heart of the Kysuce region, amid beautiful mountain nature near Orava and the Slovak-Polish border. A visit to the open-air museum combines wonderfully with hiking in the Kysuce Protected Landscape Area and exploring the surrounding valleys. Accommodation in the Kysuce region is a comfortable base for a trip to the museum as well as for other activities. The Museum of the Kysuce Village is an ideal destination for lovers of history, nature, and nostalgic rides on a historic little train.