Gdańsk History Museum

Museum in Gdańsk

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Muzeum of Gdańsk

The Gdańsk History Museum (Muzeum Gdańska), formerly known as the Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk, offers an in-depth look at the city’s rich and often turbulent past. Housed primarily in the Main Town Hall, the museum traces Gdańsk’s development from its medieval origins through its Hanseatic peak, partitions, war-time devastation, and postwar reconstruction. Exhibits are thoughtfully curated, combining historical artefacts, maps, paintings, and multimedia presentations to help visitors understand how Gdańsk evolved over the centuries as a major Baltic port and cultural centre.

The museum’s main building—the Main Town Hall—is itself a major attraction. This Gothic-Renaissance structure, rebuilt after severe damage in World War II, features an opulent interior that includes the Red Hall, a richly decorated council chamber with a coffered ceiling, allegorical paintings, and portraits of Polish kings. Visitors can also climb the Town Hall tower for panoramic views over the rooftops of Gdańsk’s Main Town, offering a perspective on the city’s historical layout and maritime geography.

Beyond the Town Hall, the museum operates several other key branches, including Artus Court, the Uphagen House (a reconstructed 18th-century merchant’s home), and Westerplatte Museum, which explores the site where World War II began. This network of sites allows visitors to explore Gdańsk’s history from different angles—political, social, architectural, and military. Together, they form one of Poland’s most comprehensive local history collections, preserving the layered identity of a city that has stood at the crossroads of nations and cultures for over a millennium.

The Gdańsk History Museum appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Gdańsk!

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