Museum of the Second World War
On Gingerguide's self-guided Gdańsk audio tour, Museum of the Second World War is a stop worth about ~120 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Gdańsk Gdańsk guide
About Museum of the Second World War
Gdańsk's vast, sombre museum of the war that began here, its leaning glass tower above a huge underground exhibition that tells the conflict through the experience of ordinary civilians.
The Museum of the Second World War (Muzeum II Wojny Światowej) opened on 23 March 2017 in Gdańsk, the city where the war began. Designed by the Gdynia studio Kwadrat through an international competition, it covers about 23,000 square metres, with most of its main exhibition underground. Its most distinctive feature is a 40-metre leaning tower with a glass façade. The exhibition tells the war's story with unusual emphasis on the experience of civilians.
In 2016 the Minister of Culture ordered the museum merged with a planned Museum of Westerplatte and the War of 1939; the move was contested in the administrative courts before proceeding, and the founding director Paweł Machcewicz was removed. Rafał Wnuk became director in 2023. The museum recorded about 601,000 visitors in 2024, making it one of Poland's most visited.
Did you know? The museum's exhibition is largely underground; visitors descend into the darkness of the war and climb back towards the light. Its landmark 40-metre tower leans on purpose, an off-balance shape for an unsettling subject.
How much time do you need at Museum of the Second World War?
Around ~120 min works well for Museum of the Second World War — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Museum of the Second World War?
Yes — Museum of the Second World War made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Gdańsk. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Gdańsk
Day 1 of the Gdańsk in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Museum of the Second World War
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