Museum of the Second World War

The Museum of the Second World War stands at plac Władysława Bartoszewskiego 1, on the edge of Gdańsk's Old Town at Ołowianka, in the Pomeranian region of Poland. Opened in 2017, it occupies a modern building beside the Radunia Canal and uses the city's own wartime history as a starting point: Gdańsk was where the first shots of the war were fired in September 1939. The core exhibition begins deep underground and descends through a long route of galleries that cover the causes of the war, its course across Europe and the wider world, and its aftermath, giving particular attention to the experience of civilians as well as soldiers. Visitors move through reconstructed streets, rooms and scenes, with original objects, documents, film and sound used to portray occupation, persecution, the Holocaust, forced labour, bombing and the post-war settlement. The exhibition is large, and a visit typically takes three to four hours, with those wanting to read every panel needing more. A branch of the museum operates on Westerplatte, where the war began. The museum is typically open from 10AM to 6PM Wednesday to Sunday and from 10AM to 4PM on Tuesday, closed on Mondays, with later hours possible in summer. Adult admission is about 30 PLN and reduced tickets cost about 20 PLN. Queues build by midday, so a morning visit at opening time is the best way to avoid crowds and to leave enough time for the full route. Some scenes involve disturbing material, and parents of younger children should consider whether the content suits them. The museum can be reached on foot from the Ratusz tram stop in about ten minutes, or by water tram to a landing stage nearby. The surrounding Ołowianka island also offers riverside views toward the old granaries, and the museum's cafe provides a place to rest between the galleries.