Discover Hel: seals, coastline and maritime history

• The Fokarium offers a daily seal feeding session with an educational talk; schedules may change.
• The Helska Latarnia Morska is an octagonal tower built of reddish-brown facing brick.
• Kąpielisko nr 2 – “Na Cyplu” is a designated bathing area on the Bay of Gdańsk with 100 metres of shoreline. The bathing season listed for 2026 ran from 1 July to 31 August.

The Fokarium offers a daily seal feeding session accompanied by an educational talk. As schedules may change, it is worth checking the latest visitor information before your visit. The Fokarium is part of the Stacja Morska im. Profesora Krzysztofa Skóry, which belongs to the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Gdańsk. It supports the reintroduction and protection of grey seals in the southern Baltic region.

Dom Morświna explores the subject of porpoises. Its static and multimedia exhibitions cover the animals’ biology, history, current threats and conservation. The focus differs between the two: the Fokarium centres on grey seals and their reintroduction, while Dom Morświna covers various aspects of porpoises. The centre is open to visitors year-round from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 16:00. Check the opening hours before your visit, as operational information may change.

The Museum of Coastal Defence presents themed exhibitions on 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 was equipped with 406 mm guns. The exhibitions can therefore also be viewed in the context of the buildings’ former military use.

In the centre of Hel is the Muzeum Rybołówstwa, a branch of the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk. It presents the history of Hel and traditional fishing. Harbour models, miniatures of historic ships, archival photographs and models of modern fishing boats show how fishing in the Baltic has changed. The exhibits offer several perspectives on the same subject, from historic vessels to more modern fishing-boat models.

The Muzeum Kolei Helskich collects artefacts from Hel’s narrow-gauge and standard-gauge railways. The exhibition includes railway tools, track components, signalling equipment, uniforms, ticket-office fittings and standard-gauge rolling stock. It ranges from infrastructure and signalling technology to vehicles and railway operating equipment. Those interested in transport and the history of technology will find a different focus here than in the maritime collections.

The Helska Latarnia Morska combines a distinctive design with a specific vantage point: the octagonal tower is built of reddish-brown facing brick, and its viewing platform is 39 metres above the ground. Hel’s forests and dunes also contain fortifications that are open to visitors. Both architectural history and structures set in the landscape are therefore among the possible subjects to explore.

Kąpielisko nr 2 – “Na Cyplu” is a designated bathing area in Hel on the Bay of Gdańsk. Its shoreline is 100 metres long. The bathing season listed for 2026 ran from 1 July to 31 August. If you are planning a trip for a later year, check the season dates in force at that time, as seasonal operations may change.

Discover more destinations: Osłonino, Jurata, Jastarnia, Lysniewo, Kosakowo, Czarny Młyn, Rekowo Górne and Odargowo.

When does the seal feeding take place at the Fokarium?

It is offered daily with an educational talk. Check the latest visitor information before your visit, as schedules may change.

When is Dom Morświna open to visitors?

Year-round, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 16:00. Opening hours may change; check them before your visit.

When was the 2026 bathing season at Na Cyplu?

The season listed for 2026 ran from 1 July to 31 August.

Go to the main travel overview: Puck.