From where I stayed in the Old Town of Gdańsk, the internet-sensation WW2 Museum was only a scenic, 15-minute walk along the Motława River. It was brisk. Very brisk. However, I went towards the end of January so it was no one's fault but my own. Gdańsk also offer plenty of rental bikes if you'd prefer to travel that way.
Upon arriving at the museum, I was very impressed with the architecture. The building stands proudly with a total area of over 34,000 square metres, and features a fascinating angled glass wall with a bold orange colour all around it.
I saw many people on social media saying to go early because there is so much to see, and I'll be honest - I doubted them. They just don't get museums like I do. But trust me when I tell you, you will be there for literal hours and you'll probably need a sit-down break every now and again. I was very lucky in the sense that the main exhibition, which was closed for renovation, opened on the Tuesday I was there! So I had no excuse to miss it.
Top tip: go on Tuesdays - it's totally free!
The main exhibition is allocated an area of over 5,000 square metres and starts off with a projector in a dark room. The video introduces you to WW2 and how it started. Although this is semi-common knowledge through history lessons at school, the video was incredibly captivating and informative in a way that I hadn't anticipated. A small detail that I noticed (and loved) was that there was a timestamp in the corner of the projector to let you know how long the video is.
The following rooms displayed a plethora of Nazi propaganda posters from WW2, and uniforms belonging to the Gestapo. As well, there was an original sculpture of Hitler's head displayed in a glass case. The sculpture was unearthed in Gdańsk in 2015 by construction workers and was crafted by Josef Thorak, an official Third Reich sculptor, in 1942. The artefact was in good condition despite its half-century slumber underground, deeming it an impressive piece in the city's WW2 Museum.
The next area of the museum was my personal favourite. Within the exhibition was an entirely fake street that mimicked what Gdańsk would have looked like during the Second World War. The attention to detail was mesmerising and the whole experience felt so immersive. Another minute feature that I adored was the hallway of the main exhibition was built directly where Weilka Street was, until it was mostly destroyed in 1945; the museum incorporated the lasting cobblestone into the floor to honour this.
Without spoiling too much, the main exhibition is also home to some amazing objects like a Russian tank and a replica of a life-sized atomic bomb that was used on Hiroshima, Japan. There was even an entire section dedicated to the concentration camps and the people who devastatingly lost their lives in them. It's hard to pinpoint how exactly to feel when exploring these rooms. Of course, the museum itself is extraordinary, but reading about the tragic context behind each display evokes a sense of distress and emotions like no other.
I could speak about this museum all day but I would recommend that anyone to go at least once in their life. Not only is there the magnificent main exhibition, but there are temporary exhibitions to check out as well. From beginning to end I was captivated by the museum and I hope anyone who is ever in Gdańsk takes a few hours from their day to visit.