Gdynia City Museum - Where History Meets the Sea

On the border between land and sea stands a modern building made of light sandstone, whose silhouette resembles a ship - this is the seat of the Gdynia City Museum, officially opened on November 16, 2007. This building is the culmination of many years of efforts by city residents to create a place that would worthily represent the history and culture of Gdynia.

The idea of creating a city museum was born as early as the 1960s. In 1968, the City History Documentation Department was established at the Public City Library. This department was located in the Abraham House, a historic building at 30 Starowiejska Street, which was a testament to Kashubian traditions and local history. Thanks to the involvement of enthusiasts, the first collections were gathered there, which later became the basis for the creation of the Gdynia City Museum, officially founded on January 1, 1983.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the museum operated in various locations. Exhibitions were located in the former exhibition pavilion at 21 Waszyngtona Street, and later also in a temporary headquarters at 14 Chrzanowskiego Street. As the museum developed its resources, the need to create a modern facility became increasingly urgent. Finally, as a result of an agreement between the city authorities and the Polish Navy, it was decided to build a new, dedicated building at Zawiszy Czarnego Street, which currently also houses the Naval Museum.

Thanks to the support of the local community and the efforts of the museum team, the collections of the Gdynia City Museum have grown to over 63,000 objects. They include documents, photographs, plans, maps, postcards, works of art and memorabilia related to the history and life of the city. The exhibitions in the museum tell the story of Gdynia from the earliest times to the present day, illustrating the transformation of a village and a seaside resort into a modern port city. The exhibitions present, among others, the beginnings of the port construction, archival photographs, reconstructions of shops and bathing facilities, and ship models, recreating the authentic atmosphere of port Gdynia.