Hel – Seals, museums and the Baltic Sea
Accommodation in Hel
Hel offers a variety of ways to explore nature and history: the Fokarium focuses on grey seals and their protection, while several museums are dedicated to the navy, fishing and railways. There are also fortifications in forests and dunes, as well as a designated bathing area on the Bay of Gdańsk. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether you are most interested in marine mammals, maritime history or a range of themed attractions.
File:Bałtyk na Helu, 20220522 1534 6164.jpg
Photo: Jakub Hałun via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Seals and porpoises
The Fokarium offers a daily seal feeding accompanied by an educational talk. The facility is part of the Stacja Morska im. Profesora Krzysztofa Skóry, which belongs to the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Gdańsk. Its work supports the reintroduction and protection of grey seals in the southern Baltic Sea region. A visit therefore connects you with a specific conservation issue that goes beyond the individual feeding.
Dom Morświna explores another marine mammal. Its static and multimedia exhibitions cover the biology and history of porpoises, as well as the threats they face today and their protection. Dom Morświna is open to visitors year-round, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you want to distinguish between the subjects of seals and porpoises, the facilities offer different focuses: grey seals and their reintroduction here, and the biology, history and protection of porpoises there.
The navy, fishing and railways
The Museum of Coastal Defence features themed exhibitions about the defence of Hel in 1939 and the historical development of the Polish Navy. It is housed in buildings previously used by the German “Schleswig-Holstein” battery, which had 406 mm guns. The site thus brings together exhibitions on two historical subjects and the buildings’ former use. Those interested in military and naval history will find a different focus here than in the fishing collections.
The Muzeum Rybołówstwa is located in the centre of Hel and is a branch of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk. Harbour models, miniatures of historic ships, archival photographs and models of modern fishing boats illustrate changes in fishing in the Baltic Sea. Visitors can also learn about the history of Hel and its traditional fishing at the museum. The exhibits range from historic photographs and ship miniatures to models of modern fishing boats.
The Muzeum Kolei Helskich collects artefacts from Hel’s narrow-gauge and standard-gauge railways. Its exhibits include railway tools, track components, signalling equipment, uniforms, ticket-office fittings and standard-gauge rolling stock. This range makes the collection interesting to visitors who would like to explore railways and their equipment alongside maritime subjects.
Lighthouse, fortifications and bathing area
The Helska Latarnia Morska is an octagonal tower built of reddish-brown facing brick. Its viewing platform is 39 metres above the ground. Fortifications in the forests and dunes of Hel are also open to visitors. Alongside exhibitions, visitors can therefore choose to see a distinctive tower or historic structures set in a landscape of forests and dunes.
Kąpielisko nr 2 – “Na Cyplu” is a designated bathing area in Hel on the Bay of Gdańsk. Its shoreline is 100 metres long. The 2026 bathing season there ran from 1 July to 31 August.
More destinations
Żelistrzewo, Odargowo, Mieroszyno, Mechelinki, Jurata, Pierwoszyno, Dębki, Rekowo Górne
To the main travel overview: Puck.
