The museum was established in 1968. It boasts the largest collection of folk instruments in Poland. The permanent exhibition was put together by Jadwiga Sobieska and Jan Stęszewski (1975), while the new one (2015) was devised by Professor Zbigniew J. Przerembski. The collection encompasses over 2000 exhibits from across Poland and Europe (including professional and mechanical instruments) dating from the 17th-21st centuries. The museum has an exceptionally rich collection of Polish accordions, dulcimers, and bagpipes.