European Solidarity Centre and WWII Museum in Gdansk: Guided Tour or On Your Own?

The Museum of the Second World War is closed on Mondays, and from October to April the European Solidarity Centre’s permanent exhibition is closed on Tuesdays, so Wednesday to Sunday are the days on which both are open. The museum’s own page lists Tuesday hours of 10:00 to 16:00 and Wednesday to Sunday hours of 10:00 to 18:00, with the ticket offices open until 14:30 and 17:00 respectively. It will also be closed on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December 2026.

Two museums, two stories

The Museum of the Second World War follows the war from its outbreak in 1939. The European Solidarity Centre, on Plac Solidarności, tells the story of the Solidarity movement and the end of communist rule. The Solidarity Centre’s own page lists, for October to April, the permanent exhibition from 10:00 to 17:00 on Monday and Wednesday to Friday and from 10:00 to 18:00 at weekends, with Tuesday a maintenance day on which the exhibition is closed; from May to September it opens daily from 10:00, until 19:00 on weekdays and 20:00 at weekends. The building is also closed on 1 November and 24 to 26 December, among other days. Check both museums’ pages for ticket prices, which we do not quote.

The guided Solidarity Centre tour

The guided tour of the European Solidarity Centre lasts 2.5 hours and costs €84.10 per person, rated 4.8/5 from 20 reviews. The listing includes a guide and admission to the permanent exhibition, with headsets for larger groups. Guides speak Polish, English, German, Spanish, Italian and French. The meeting point is the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970 on Plac Solidarności. The listing highlights the original 21 Demands boards of 1980, a martial-law prison cell and seven halls of exhibits. If you book it for a Tuesday between October and April, ask the operator how the visit runs, because the permanent exhibition is closed that day. The booking page lists the tour as wheelchair accessible; ask the operator to confirm that it suits your needs.

Private tours

The private Solidarity tour takes 3 hours and costs €122.74 per person. It starts at Plac Solidarności 1, includes admission to the Solidarity Centre and a beverage, and adds a walk to places such as the docks and old warehouses afterwards. Guides work in English and Polish.

The private communism tour costs €142.71 per person and comes in 2 and 4-hour versions. Both include a skip-the-line ticket to the Solidarity Centre and pickup from accommodation in the Old Town. The 4-hour version adds the Sala BHP, where the Gdańsk Agreement was signed on 31 August 1980, and the Gdańsk Shipyard, and a shot of Polish vodka is listed for the 4-hour options only. The operator notes that the Gdańsk Shipyard is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

The private WWII tour costs €121.35 per person and takes 2 to 4 hours. All options include skip-the-line tickets to the Museum of the Second World War. The 4-hour version adds the Solidarity Centre, Sala BHP, a preserved air raid shelter and the Imperial Shipyard. Guides work in eight languages including Italian.

Option	Covers	Length
Guided Solidarity Centre tour	Solidarity Centre	2.5 hours
Private Solidarity tour	Solidarity Centre and walk	3 hours
Private communism tour	Solidarity Centre, Sala BHP, shipyard	2 or 4 hours
Private WWII tour	WWII museum, plus Solidarity sites in the 4-hour version	2–4 hours

On your own

The museum sells tickets through its own website and ticket offices. A guide adds the context behind objects and a fixed route; going alone lets you stay as long as you like in the halls that interest you. One operator calls the Second World War museum one of the most comprehensive exhibitions on the war, so leave room in the day.

Our recommendation

For most visitors the guided Solidarity Centre tour is the simplest way in: admission, a guide and a clear start point in one booking. Choose a private tour if you want the WWII museum with a guide or a longer route. More tours are under WW2 and Solidarity tours.