Bydgoszcz Canal Museum

The canal museum opened in 2006 in a school next to the canal. It was created by the school’s history teacher Sebastian Malinowski. The museum relocated to a larger building in 2021. It is concerned mainly with the history of the Bydgoszcz Canal, which was completed in 1775 for the King of Prussia after the partition of Poland. It extends for 25km from Bydgoszcz to Nakło and is still in operation on a route connecting the rivers Vistula and Oder. Work began to build the canal in 1773 with 8,000 workers employed. The waterway and its engineering features were enhanced several times and it now carries commercial boats of 400 tonnes as well as tourist traffic. The museum displays photographs and artefacts related to the canal’s construction, operation and everyday life. Guided tours are available and the museum also offers kayaks to visitors who want to explore the waterway.