The museum in Dukla was started by the exhibition showing the Carpathian-Dukla operation from the year 1944 – the biggest battle in the mountains during the World War II. The exhibition was organized in 1964 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Dukla. The initiative for the creation of this exhibition, as well as the organization of the museum in the in the Mniszchowski’s Palace was undertaken by the group of experienced activists of PTTK from Krosno, Rzeszów and Dukla.

The main core of the exhibitions were the exhibits of weapons and military equipment used during the battles conducted in the Carpathians in the period and World War II.