Muzeum Wisły w Tczewie

About the museum

The Muzeum Wisły is housed in a historic factory building from the second half of the 19th century, built as the Emil Kelch Metal Products Factory (Fabryka Wyrobów Metalowych Emila Kelcha). In the interwar period a metal goods workshop, “Arkona”, operated here; during the Second World War it was set up as a transit camp for Polish displaced persons, and after the war it housed plants producing optical equipment, gas meters and household appliances.

In 1980 the town of Tczew handed the building over to the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk, which adapted it to the needs of the new institution. The official opening took place on 13 April 1984, when the first permanent exhibition, “The History of Vistula Shipping” (Dzieje żeglugi wiślanej), was shown; in the autumn of the same year the exhibition “Folk Boats of the Vistula Basin” (Łodzie ludowe dorzecza Wisły) followed. In 2004–2007 the building was thoroughly modernised with EU funds, a ministerial grant and a contribution from the Tczew municipality.

The current permanent exhibition, “The Vistula in Polish History” (Wisła w dziejach Polski), leads visitors through the shared history of the state and its largest river: from the earliest settlement and shipping, through the golden age of river transport, the partitions and the industrial revolution, to the wars, the reconstruction of the country and the role of the Vistula in the economy and water tourism. The collections include archaeological finds, traditional tools, boats, ship models and mock-ups, supplemented by multimedia stations.

Highlights

• The largest museum in Poland devoted to a river
• Permanent exhibition “The Vistula in Polish History” across three floors
• Traditional boats, boatbuilding tools and ship models
• Archaeological finds documenting shipping on the Vistula in the past
• Historic former factory building from the 19th century

Permanent exhibition

• Wisła w dziejach Polski – The permanent exhibition shows the history of the Vistula from the earliest settlement and shipping to the present day, with boats, ship models, tools and multimedia stations.

Founded

1980

Operated by

Narodowe Muzeum Morskie w Gdańsku

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission to the permanent exhibition every Saturday.

The price list applies until 31 December 2026. On Saturdays tickets for the temporary exhibition cost PLN 5 (standard) and PLN 4 (reduced). The museum's website gives no separate price for a single ticket to the permanent exhibition, apart from the combined ticket.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The exhibitions are accessible to people using wheelchairs; the entrance is from the inner courtyard. The lift is adapted to the needs of people with mobility impairments and people with visual impairments. Toilets for wheelchair users are on the ground floor. Cars of people with disabilities can drive directly from ul. 30 Stycznia into the courtyard by the museum.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

The museum runs museum lessons and workshops (including at weekends) and organises birthday parties at the museum; children under 7 enter free of charge.

Getting there & parking

From the PKP and PKS stations it takes about 21 minutes on foot (1700 m) to the museum. By car: from the national road No. 91, ul. Wojska Polskiego to the roundabout by the town hall, then ul. 30 Stycznia and ul. Paderewskiego.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

A shop with souvenirs and books, a cloakroom, free deposit lockers and toilets on the ground floor.

Events & venue rental

The National Maritime Museum rents conference rooms in Gdańsk and at the Wreck Conservation Centre in Tczew (a separate building).

Plan your visit