In 1931, an international collection of modern art works was presented for the first time in Łód ́z, being then the second largest city in Poland and one of the most important industrial centres. It was a world-class event, since in the 1930s, Łód ́z museum was the only Polish and European museum presenting works of the most important avant-garde artists as a part of its permanent exhibition. In the post-war period considerable efforts were taken to erect a new building of the Museum of Art in Łód ́z. It was going to be an event on a national scale, since it would be the first modern multifunctional museum built from scratch during the period of People’s Poland. Yet, the lack of perspective thinking and ideological entanglement of cultural institutions, as well as propaganda dictate and the lack of consistency in actions of communist authorities prevented Łód ́z from taking the chance of remaining in the very centre of pioneering museum activities.
The article presents results of a study of how immovable cultural heritage used for commercial purposes of tourism affects local communities. The study is based on data collected in direct interviews with property owners and representatives of local authorities and a questionnaire survey of local residents concerning sixteen historic buildings used as hotels, which are located in rural areas of Wielkopolskie province. It was found that the provision of additional, free cultural functions for local communities by property owners and/or local authorities exerts a greater socio-cultural impact and contributes to local, sustainable development. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that when historic buildings of this kind are used for commercial purposes it is important to ensure that they are part of the cultural experience not only for hotel guests but also for the local community. In this way, entire communities can appreciate their local cultural heritage (socio-cultural impact), which in turn strengthens cultural sustainability.
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