Inauguration of the “Museum on Water”

On a ceremonial cruise, we started the functioning of the "Museum on Water", which is a project whose aim is to create a comprehensive and coherent story about the Second World War, including the area of the battlefield on Westerplatte. 

On Saturday forenoon, among the invited guests and media representatives, we inaugurated the "Museum on Water" project. During educational cruises, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the history of the port in Gdansk, and then will be shown around the Battlefield at Westerplatte. The idea of creating a water connection between the modern Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk and the historic battlefield at Westerplatte - which is both a symbol of the beginning of one of the most tragic conflicts in the history of mankind and a heroic defence - was born in April 2017, when two state cultural institutions were merged: Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk and the Museum of Westerplatte and the War of 1939. 

The gathered people were welcomed by the host of the event, dr Karol Nawrocki, director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk:

Westerplatte is a symbol that we should take care of regardless of which part of Poland we come from. A symbol of Polish historical and national memory. When in 2017 the Museum of the Second World War and the Museum of Westerplatte and the War of 1939 were merged, I believed that a synergy would be created between the vast cultural institution that is the Museum of the Second World War and a place filled with values. This has happened. We continued our archaeological mission at Westerplatte, extracting nearly 50,000 exhibits. They laid the grounds for the exhibition "Westerplatte in 7 unveilings" which enjoys very positive reception. Today, we are inaugurating another project that is the fruit of this synergy.

Then the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Jarosław Sellin spoke:

That is the way it should be. Caring for Westerplatte should link, not divide. That is how we do it today and I am glad about this initiative, which was taken by the director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk Karol Nawrocki and the head of the Museum of Westerplatte and the War of 1939 Branch Mariusz Wójtowicz-Podhorski. I thank them for having taken the initiative two years ago to launch the "Museum on Water" project, allowing to sail from the centre of Gdansk and on board of a ship to launch a story about the history of the Gdansk port Westerplatte.

On the ship, guests had the opportunity to see boards describing the history of the peninsula. During the cruise, Aleksander Masłowski, a spokesman for the Museum, told the story of the port of Gdansk and the passing objects, presenting many curiosities and lesser known facts.

Mariusz Wójtowicz-Podhorski, Head of the Department of the Museum of Westerplatte and the War of 1939, showed the guests around Westerplatte, presenting the history of the fights of the first days of September 1939 and the activities of the Museum in the peninsula.

We have conducted archaeological research and we promise that the excavated monuments, souvenirs associated with the defenders of Westerplatte will soon be seen here on the spot.

Also on Westerplatte, Pomeranian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments arch. Igor Strzok, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, handed over the last, one hundredth plaque commemorating "100 Monuments of History in the Centennial of the Regaining of Independence”. In the course of developing the assumptions of the Multiannual Programme "Independent”, the list of Monuments of History, conducted since 1994, has been extended by other objects fundamental for Polish culture and identity, henceforth including the Westerplatte battlefield.

From Sunday, July 13, 2019, we invite you on another educational cruise to Westerplatte, during which you will be able to learn about the history of the port of Gdansk, and during a guided tour of the battlefield, also the poignant history of the first days of September 1939. A visit to the peninsula is a great introduction to the continuation of the story, which we present more universally, exhaustively and with international motifs at our exhibitions in the Museum of the Second World War.

Cruise dates: 13 July to 29 September 2019 (Tuesday to Sunday).

Timetable of the cruises:

10:20 (return to Gdansk 14:10)
12:20 (return to Gdansk 16:10)
14:20 (return to Gdansk 18:10)