Kluki can be understood through its village history and landscape: the settlement developed on the southwestern shore of Lake Łebsko. For travellers who want to consider both together, this history of settlement provides a guiding thread. You can focus the cultural part of your visit on the Muzeum Wsi Słowińskiej and the cemetery, or consider Kluki as a stop on a longer hiking route. These are different scales for planning, and you do not have to commit to just one way of exploring the area.

Settlement development between dry and wet areas

Kluki developed as a group of scattered settlements on sandy, dry rises in the terrain. Between them were lower-lying, damp areas rich in peat. The contrast between elevated, dry sites and wet lowlands shapes the account of the settlement’s development. It draws attention to how closely the village’s history is connected with the nature of its surroundings, rather than treating Kluki simply as a point on the lake.

This landscape perspective suits a visit where you want to take time to explore the area’s cultural history. The museum focuses on the lives of the village’s former inhabitants; the cemetery is another cultural and historical point of interest in Kluki. Together, they provide a specific focus for the village’s history, while the hiking trail offers another way to place the area within a longer route.

The Muzeum Wsi Słowińskiej in Kluki

The Muzeum Wsi Słowińskiej in Kluki presents the lives of the village’s former inhabitants in ten permanent exhibitions. The period covered extends from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries to the middle of the 20th century. The presentation therefore encompasses more than a single historical moment: it focuses on a longer period of village life that you can explore as a coherent cultural and historical theme.

Museum visitors can also view the interiors of residential houses and farm buildings. Thus, in addition to the permanent exhibitions, the interiors of different types of buildings are also of interest to visitors. If you are especially interested in life in the village in the past, the exhibitions and the interiors open to visitors offer two distinct points of connection: a view of the inhabitants within their historical context, and a look inside residential and farm buildings.

The only preserved Słowińska cemetery

The cemetery in Kluki is the only preserved Słowińska cemetery. This is a distinctive feature in the cultural context of the area: alongside the history presented in the museum, the cemetery stands as a separate point of reference. If you want to explore Kluki’s cultural and historical themes, you can consider these two places separately, rather than viewing the cemetery merely as part of the museum exhibitions.

Czarne Wesele and the hiking trail

Czarne Wesele opens the tourist season in Kluki and has been held there as a recurring tradition since 1995. During the event, museum visitors can try peat cutting for themselves. The description of the landscape and the festival activity therefore offer different ways to engage with the subject of peat: peat-rich areas are part of the development of the settlement area, while peat cutting is an activity at the festival. Dates and programmes may vary from year to year, so if you plan to travel specifically for Czarne Wesele, check the information for the year you have in mind.

The 39 km hiking trail via Żarnowska, Gać, Izbica and Kluki to Smołdzino covers a different scale. It runs along the southern side of Lake Łebsko. You can therefore choose between two distinct focuses: Kluki’s cultural history and a hiking route connecting several places. If you want to include both in your trip, you can treat them as separate planning points, rather than equating a tour of the museum exhibitions with the hiking route.

Discover more destinations: Sycewice, Objazda, Retowo, Dębnica Kaszubska, Wodnica, Słupsk, Pobłocie, Runowo

For the main travel overview: Słupsk.