European Solidarity Center and the Shipyard in Gdansk

The European Solidarity Centre was a highlight of our Gdańsk trip and one of the best museums we have visited. The exhibition and audio guide made a complex history compelling. We spent around three hours here and would not try to squeeze it into a very short stop.

The museum is located in the Gdansk Shipyard, a few meters from the impressive monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970. A memorial for the workers killed by the army during the bold strikes of 1970. Building the monument was one of the demands of Solidarity in the talks of 1980. The monument is 42 meters high and made from 139 tons of steel. It's the first anti-communist monument founded in a communist country.

The exhibition follows the 1980 strikes, the rise of Solidarity and the struggle leading to the partly free elections of 1989. Years of conflict lay between those milestones; this was not an immediate transition to democracy. Check the official opening and visitor information before your visit.

The Shipyard Entrance