Footsteps of WWII · Poland
Museum of the Second World War, Gdańsk
Museum · 1939–1945 (opened 23 Mar 2017)
The story
Opened in March 2017 beside the Motława river, this is one of the largest museums of the war anywhere. The building, by the Gdynia studio Kwadrat, sinks most of its exhibition underground beneath a leaning tower. The permanent exhibition covers the whole war with a strong focus on civilians, occupation and the experience of Poland and Eastern Europe, from the road to war through Westerplatte, occupation terror and the Holocaust to the war's aftermath. It also runs the Westerplatte site. The museum was created by a team led by historian Paweł Machcewicz, and its exhibition became a political battleground after 2016.
What to look for
Look for the tilted red tower near the Polish Post Office. Inside, the main exhibition is underground and very large: reconstructed streets, vehicles including a Sherman and a T-34, and thousands of objects. Allow at least three hours and pace yourself.
Plan your visit
Closed Mondays; generally open 10:00–18:00. Entry is by timed ticket; buy online in advance at bilety.muzeum1939.pl, as visitors without a booking have been turned away. Audio guide extra. Check the website before you go.
Things change, so check opening times before you travel.
Nearby sites
- Polish Post Office, Gdańsk · under 1 km
- Westerplatte, Gdańsk · 6 km
- Stutthof Museum, Sztutowo · 32 km
All 160 sites in Footsteps of WWII →
Footsteps of WWII: Europe 1939–1945
A free field guide for your phone: the route, the maps and the stories built in, even with no signal. The whole Second World War in Europe, from the first shots at Westerplatte on 1 September 1939 to the German surrender in May 1945: Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Normandy, Arnhem, Bastogne, Stalingrad, Berlin and the camps, in 15 areas from Britain to Russia.
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