Museum Penin – Museum named after Joseph Shalom is situated in a historic Villa of the nineteenth century. Ethnographic exhibition clearly demonstrates the life of the Pieniny highlanders in the early twentieth century.

Known for its Spa resorts Polish Szczawnica, lying at the foot of the Pieniny, owes its fame Hungarian family Shalaj, came here in 1828. The ambitions of Joseph were huge, the publisher wanted to turn in Szczawnica resort that could compete with the European. On his initiative, there was built a chapel, the first bath, restaurant, guest house. He cared about opening and drinking water sources – "Magdalena", "John", "Simon", "Helena", "Angela".

After Joseph's death Shal the city became a popular resort after the First world war began to come here politicians, artists, poets, scientists. In 1919 the Szczawnica visited ethnographer Konstantin Clinic-Paradise, who immediately saw the need then to save a dying culture of the local highlanders. Ethnographer made the first attempt to organize in the city Museum, but his efforts were in vain.

Only in 1957, after the meeting of the society of friends Pieniny management similar idea was born again. We have started collecting materials and exhibits for the future Museum. Two years later, the city administration has allocated three rooms in the building of the railway station for the exposition. Grand opening of the Museum took place in may 1959.

Three years later the wooden building burned down, then the show was moved to the historic Villa Palace, built in the nineteenth century. In July of 1972 took place the re-opening of the Museum Penin. In 1982 the Museum was named in honor of Joseph Shal and became part of the regional Museum in Nowy sącz.

The ethnographic section of the Museum is a regional architecture and decoration with details of local homes. It also tells about the traditional clothes of mountaineers. Among the various exhibits in the section devoted to folk art, interesting colorful emblems of the houses that once hung on them instead of numbers. The historical section of the Museum introduces visitors to the history of the area and the features of the development of the region. The Museum also hosts interesting exhibitions: "Szczawnica as part of the County Czorsztyn", "the Second world war in the Pieniny" and others.