Stutthof Museum

The Stutthof Museum is a memorial and museum at ul. Muzealna 6 in Sztutowo, on the Vistula Spit in Poland's Pomeranian region, on the site of the Stutthof concentration camp. Established by Nazi Germany on 2 September 1939, it was the first camp built outside Germany's pre-war borders. About 110,000 prisoners passed through the camp, and an estimated 65,000 died. The preserved site includes the remaining camp buildings, the gas chamber and crematorium, and a monument, with parts of the grounds marked where structures once stood. Exhibitions in the museum buildings present the history of the camp, the experience of prisoners and the wider context of Nazi persecution, with documents, photographs and personal objects. Visitors walk the grounds along marked routes, and guided tours, which cost extra, provide historical explanation and are well suited to first-time visitors. Admission is free. A visit typically takes two to three hours, and more for those who read all the displays. The museum is typically open from 8AM to 7PM in summer and 8AM to 3PM in winter, and visitors should check the official website for current hours. The site is a place of remembrance and calls for quiet, respectful behaviour; the content is distressing and not suited to young children, and the museum recommends that visitors consider the age of any children accompanying them. Mornings are generally calmer, and summer brings school groups and tour parties. The museum can be reached by bus from the Gdańsk bus station via Sztutowo, a journey of about one hour and 15 minutes, or by car. Visitors should dress for the weather, since much of the visit takes place outdoors on open ground, and bring water in warm months.