Szopka Krakowska The Nativity Scene Tradition and the Museum of Krakow

The nativity scene (szopka) tradition in Krakow was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018. It is the first Polish inscription on this list of UNESCO. The tradition has its roots in 19th century Krakow. Since 1937 it has been safeguarded by the city council and by the museum of the city. For decades the museum has supported the bearers of tradition and built a collection of 270 Krakow Nativity Scenes. But it also had an influence on the modification of the phenomenon or even was at the origin of these changes. An important factor that should be considered was the relationship between the bearers of tradition and museologists. During the communist era in Poland, the museum seemed a safe haven for the nativity scene makers. The article presents a brief history of the cooperation of the museum professionals with the crib makers in the last eighty years in safeguarding the nativity scene tradition in Krakow and looks forward to the challenges in the next years.