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Light in the Attic
Joanna Osiewicz
The route is based on a selection of exhibits referring to characters and stories from chosen
children’s books published in Poland. One of the aims set out by the author of the elaboration is to
popularise the valuable children’s literature and illustrations.
The presentation is designed for children of all ages as well as for their parents. It opens with an
introduction “delivered” by Professor Baltazar Gąbka, known from the popular series of books by
Stanisław Pagaczewski. The Malopolska Institute of Culture (MIK) should obtain permission to use
the image of this character. This should not be difficult regarding the educational nature of the
project.
The 3D (or 2D) space will present a room/an attic full of various items of which some will be
active. After moving the cursor, momentary actions will be initiated (i.e. after touching the violin,
a fragment of a musical piece will be heard; after pointing to the clock, its hands will turn, etc.).
None of the items will send you directly to the subject matter of the route (hence, the list of
proposed items is longer than the number of titles). The second group will include items which
when clicked upon will send the user to a descriptive page containing a specification to a related
book. In several cases (depending on the technical possibilities) additional activities for children
(colouring illustrations, connecting the dots, memory games, etc.) will appear.]
Introduction
Hello,
My name is Baltazar Gąbka and I will be your guide to the wonderful world of children’s literature.
I invite you to play in my magical attic, which is full of mysterious items and splendid books. Here
you will find many characters. You must look carefully to find some of them.
POISON CABINET
Museum of Pharmacy at the Jagiellonian University
(Muzeum Farmacji Collegium Medicum UJ)
Book: Wolf Erlbruch, Duck, Death and the Tulip
The skeleton on the cabinet is a warning that poison is inside. But is death really so fearsome? Can
it be tamed? Can you talk with it? Or even make friends with it?
The duck suddenly realises that someone has been following it for some time. It turns out to be
death, which has been coming after the duck ever since its birth.
The illustrations by Wolf Erlbruch often combine drawings with collages – a technique which
consists in using various materials. Try to create a similar picture using the textures given below.
WOODEN BICYCLE
Nowy Sącz District Museum (Muzeum Okręgowe w Nowym Sączu)
Book: Janusz Stanny, Baśń o królu Dardanelu (A Tale of King Dardanel)
“I no longer need a coach!
Take this jumbo carriage away from me
From today I will ride a bike.” [translator’s note: free translation]
www.muzea.malopolska.pl
Is it possible for a king to prefer a bike over a coach? Yes! King Dardanel returns to his castle
after a fruitless search for a dragon. Due to the cold reception by his court, he changes himself
completely. For example, he replaces his royal coat with a tailcoat, shaves off his beard and gets
on a bike.
Help the king get out of his castle.
model of ”kRAKOW” Locomotive
Historical Museum of the City of Krakow (Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa)
Book: Julian Tuwim, Lokomotywa (The Locomotive)
The most famous fictional locomotive is undoubtedly the one from a poem by Julian Tuwim, which
is “huffing and puffing and panting and smelly, Fire belches forth from her fat cast iron belly.”
Classical illustrations by Jan Marcin Szancer make a masterly supplementation to this poem.
Connect the carriages to the locomotive so that they create a full word.
HAT
Family Home of John Paul II Museum in Wadowice
(Muzeum Dom Rodzinny Ojca Świętego Jana Pawła II w Wadowicach)
Book: Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Do you know who in the fictional world (except for Professor Gąbka, of course) is the most
famous hat enthusiast? It is the Mad Hatter, who entertained Alice at a very strange tea party in
Wonderland and later bore witness to an even more peculiar trial for stealing the Queen’s tarts.
The trial ends with a pack of cards whirling high in the air. As quickly as possible, try to find a
match to the uncovered card.
BESAMIM BOX IN THE SHAPE OF A FISH
Nowy Sącz District Museum
(Muzeum Okręgowe w Nowym Sączu)
Book: Janosch, Oh, How Wonderful is Panama!
“‘Do you prefer fish with salt and pepper, my dear Mister Tiger, or with lemon and onions?’
‘I would like both,” answered the Tiger, ‘and a lot of everything.’” [translator’s note: free
translation]
The Bear and the Tiger are friends. They live in a small, cosy house by the river. The Bear goes
fishing every day and later makes dinner. He is a great cook. One day both friends set off in search
of Panama. On their way they experience many amazing adventures.
Do you know where Panama is? The Bear and the Tiger did not know, but eventually they
managed to reach their destination. Look at the map of Central America and try to match the
names with the relevant countries.
www.muzea.malopolska.pl
WOODEN PAINTED CHEST WITH A DRAWER
Museum – Vistula Ethnographic Park in Wygiełzów and Lipowiec Castle (Nadwiślański Park
Etnograficzny w Wygiełzowie i Zamek Lipowiec)
Book: Rien Poortvliet, Wil Huygen, Gnomes
“In the other corner of the shoe closet lies a bride’s chest given to her as a dowry. It is splendidly
sculpted and lavishly colourful.” [translator’s note: free translation]
In such a chest the bride’s dowry was kept – duvets, pillows and tablecloths. What else can be kept
inside? Almost everything! Gnomes, for example, store gifts in it - fruit, trinkets, memorable cards
with proverbs - which they will later bestow on their wedding guests.
Gnome chests are often fancifully decorated. Colour your chest.
CHRIST ON A PALM DONKEY
National Museum in Krakow (National Museum in Krakow)
Book: Carlo Collodi, Pinokio (Pinocchio) [translated by Jarosław Mikołajewski, illustrations by
Roberto Innocenti]
“Fate has decreed that all lazy boys who come to hate books
and schools and teachers and spend all their days with toys
and games must sooner or later turn into donkeys.”
Do you know the story of the boy who turned into a donkey? He was sold to the circus where he
was ordered to jump over rings and perform tricks. This is a part of the adventures of Pinocchio
who at the beginning was not a very good boy.
Do the puzzles to see the full picture.
Spoon rack
Dr Tytus Chałubiński Tatra Museum in Zakopane (Muzeum Tatrzańskie im. dra Tytusa
Chałubińskiego w Zakopanem)
Book: Aleksandra Mizielińska, Daniel Mizieliński, Kto kogo zjada (Who Eats Who)
The birds sitting in circles can be viewed symbolically. The bird is an element of the food chain,
being a fascinating wonder of nature. Who eats who? Do big animals always eat smaller ones? Or
maybe sometimes it is the opposite way around?
Try to create a food chain using arrows.
TUROŃ (CHRISTMAS MUMMER DISGUISED AS A HORNED ANIMAL)
Ethnographic Museum in Krakow (Muzeum Etnograficzne w Krakowie)
Book: Wiktor Woroszylski, Dużo śmiechu, trochę smutku to historia o mamutku (A lot of Laughter,
a bit of Sorrow; this is the Story of a Small Mammoth)
Turoń is a caroller dressed up as a horned animal similar to an ox. Its name comes from an aurochs,
which unfortunately became extinct a long time ago. Surely you can think of other animals known
from excavations, such as dinosaurs or mammoths. It turns out that some of them can be brought
back to life in books, e.g., a small mammoth named Lutek who escaped a glacier and managed to
survive in the author’s flat (although the neighbours often complain about the noise he makes).
Try to recreate a mammoth by arranging the elements in the right order.
www.muzea.malopolska.pl
PERCUSSION-cap PISTOL
Irena and Mieczysław Mazaraki Museum in Chrzanów (Muzeum im. Ireny i Mieczysława Mazarakich
w Chrzanowie)
Book: Tomi Ungerer, The Three Robbers
A pistol [Axe] is a very dangerous weapon. It is often used by criminals such as the three robbers
who spread terror and attack carriages. In some stories, including this one, it sometimes turns out
that good can easily overcome evil, turning a robber into a good man.
Connect the dots to see what kind of weapon the three robbers used.
Joanna Osiewicz-Lorenzutti – graduate of cultural studies at the University of Silesia; she worked
for the “Iskry” publishing house in Warsaw and volunteered for the Housing Works organisation in
New York. She cooperates with Polish cultural institutions to organise festivals and events. Privately,
she is an enthusiast of Polaroid instant photography, a passionate collector of illustrated children’s
books, and the owner of a purebred dog named Łomo.
www.muzea.malopolska.pl