Dialogue Centre Przełomy (Breakthroughs)

The Dialogue Centre Przełomy (roughly "psheh-WOH-mih", meaning "Breakthroughs") is an underground branch of the National Museum in Szczecin, hidden beneath Solidarity Square. It tells the story of postwar Szczecin – from the moment German Stettin became Polish in 1945 to the protests that helped bring down communism. The building itself is famous: in 2016 it was named World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival in Berlin.

Where it is

Szczecin lies in northwest Poland, about 150 km (93 mi) from Berlin – two hours by car or regional train – and five to six hours by train from Warsaw. The centre is at pl. Solidarności 1 in the heart of the city, about a 20-minute walk from Szczecin Główny station and 10 minutes from the Port Gate tram hub. Downtown parking is paid.

Award-winning architecture

The design by KWK Promes, the studio of Polish architect Robert Konieczny, won a competition in 2009; construction began in 2012 and the museum opened on January 25, 2016. Most of the building is underground. Its roof is a gently undulating public square that rises at one corner into a striking block, recalling the dense city quarter destroyed here in World War II. Besides the World Building of the Year title, it won the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2016.

The exhibition

The permanent exhibition, "City of Resistance – City of Protest", leads you down into a "well of history". It starts with 1945 – the Potsdam border decisions and the exchange of populations – and then focuses on the great waves of protest:

• December 1970, when workers' strikes on the Baltic coast were brutally suppressed;
• August 1980 and the birth of Solidarity, followed by martial law in 1981;
• the strikes of 1988 and the changes of 1989.

Multimedia, recordings and personal objects show heroes, persecutors and ordinary residents alike. Allow 1–1.5 hours. It's best suited to teens and adults; the subject matter may be heavy for small children. Labels are primarily in Polish, so a translation app is useful.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

The centre follows the National Museum's year-round schedule, including winter 2026/27:

• Monday: closed
• Tuesday and Sunday: 10 am–4 pm
• Wednesday–Saturday: 10 am–6 pm

Permanent exhibition: 20 PLN standard, 12 PLN reduced; children under 7 free. Admission to the permanent exhibitions is free on Saturdays. A three-day pass to all National Museum branches costs 65/40 PLN. Closed on some holidays, including November 1 and December 24–25 and 31. Phone: +48 91 431 52 00.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you're interested in modern architecture or the history of the Solidarity era – it is one of the best places in Poland to understand how ordinary people challenged the communist regime. Outside, look for the Monument to the Victims of December 1970, an 11-meter bronze angel by Czesław Dźwigaj unveiled in 2005. Across the street is the glowing white Philharmonic Hall, another award-winning building, and the Chrobry Embankment and the castle are a short walk away.