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The Museum of Gdańsk was established in 1970 as a branch of the Pomeranian Museum in Gdańsk and became an independent institution the following year. Since its opening, it has been located in the Main Town Hall, which remains the museum’s headquarters and one of its most important branches. The building itself is a remarkable historical site, with a history dating back to the 14th century, when it served as the seat of the city authorities.
The museum’s collection presents the history of Gdańsk from the Middle Ages to the present day. Today, it includes around 50,000 objects documenting the history of the city and its inhabitants. The collection reflects the development of Gdańsk – from one of the most important cities of the Hanseatic League, whose prosperity was built on trade and the meeting of different cultures and influences, to a modern city recognised internationally today.
The Museum of Gdańsk consists of ten branches, each focusing on a different aspect of the city’s history. Two of them – the Polish Post Office Museum and Guardhouse No. 1 at Westerplatte – are dedicated to the history of the Second World War. Both are symbolic places connected with the outbreak of the war.
Gdańsk holds a unique place in the history of the Second World War. It was here, in September 1939, that some of the first armed actions of the German aggression against Poland took place. Presenting the history of the city during the war, as well as the process of its post-war reconstruction, is an important part of the Museum’s mission.