Hevelianum

Hevelianum is a science and history centre on Gradowa Hill (Góra Gradowa) in Gdańsk, in the Pomeranian region of Poland, named after the 17th century astronomer Johannes Hevelius, who worked in Gdańsk. It occupies the fortifications of the 19th century Prussian fortress on the hill, which was part of the Gdańsk city defences and was fought over in 1945. The hill also holds the Hevelianum's historic fortress sections, including the Fort Grodzisko, bastions, tunnels and the Gradowa Hill park. The site was transformed from 2010s works into a centre that has several exhibition spaces. The Fortress of the Hill presents interactive science exhibitions on topics such as astronomy, mechanics and light, while the historical section presents the history of the fortifications. The Gradowa Hill was also the site of earlier Gdańsk defences and the area was a battlefield of March 1945, with remains of the military installations visible in the forts. The Hevelianum's character is that of a museum-style science centre, with experiments for visitors and a thematic rather than chronological curatorial approach. Fortified underground passages, brick casemates and the park trails are part of the visit. The park, with views over the Main Town, is open for walking. The restoration of the forts retained brickwork and military layouts, and some areas remain in a near-original state. Visitors tend to spend two to three hours exploring the exhibitions and the grounds, and the site suits families with children interested in hands-on science and military history.