Amber in Gdansk — How to Spot the Real Thing and What to See at the Amber Museum

Amber accompanies Gdansk at every turn — in jewelry shop windows, on stalls along Mariacka Street, in street names, and in the city’s history, which for centuries thrived on trade in this stone. The problem is that the more stalls you see, the greater the chance of returning home with a piece of colorful plastic instead of real amber. Below, learn how to protect yourself and what you must see if the subject has caught your interest.

Why Gdansk?

The Baltic has been washing amber onto the shore for thousands of years, and Gdansk has been the main center for its processing and trade in this part of Europe since the Middle Ages — hence the title “Amber Capital of the World,” which still appears in the city’s promotional materials. In this case, it’s not an exaggeration. This history is precisely why amber is everywhere here, not just in one museum or on one street.

How to Recognize Real Amber

No single test provides 100% certainty, but combining a few simple methods significantly reduces the risk:

• Salt Test. In a glass of water with dissolved salt (about 5 teaspoons per glass), real amber will float—it’s lighter than salty water. Counterfeits usually sink to the bottom.
• UV Test. A UV flashlight with a wavelength of 365 nm (these are cheap and small, can fit in your pocket) causes genuine Baltic amber to glow a characteristic blue-white. Copal—older, cheaper resin often sold as amber—glows yellow or greenish, while plastic and glass either don’t react at all or react completely differently.
• Electrostatic Test. Rub the piece for about 20 seconds with wool or cotton, then bring it close to small pieces of paper or crumbs. Genuine amber will become electrostatically charged and start attracting them.
• Smell. When heated (e.g., by touching a hot needle—something no vendor at a market will let you do), real amber smells like resin, not plastic. This test is more useful for sellers than buyers in stores, but it’s worth knowing the difference is clear.

None of these tests require specialist equipment beyond an inexpensive UV flashlight—and even without one, simply asking the seller for a certificate or appraisal often reveals who you’re dealing with.

Where to Buy Safely

Street stalls, especially in the most touristy areas of the Main Town and along Mariacka Street, are places where you’ll easily find fake or synthetic amber sold without clear distinction from genuine pieces. This doesn’t mean every vendor is dishonest— but the risk is significantly higher than at a stationary jewelry store that provides a certificate of origin or authenticity. If you’re looking for something more than a souvenir costing just a few dozen złoty, it’s worth asking directly about documentation confirming authenticity— a reputable seller will have it and gladly show it.

Amber Museum — what you’ll see

Since July 2021, the permanent exhibition has been located in the Great Mill in the Old Town—one of the largest medieval mills in Europe, well worth seeing on its own merits regardless of the exhibits. Inside, over a thousand items await: from raw amber chunks with inclusions (insects and plants trapped in resin millions of years ago) to jewelry and everyday objects from different eras. It’s one of the world’s largest amber collections, so if you’re interested in inclusions or the history of amber craftsmanship, you’ll likely spend more than just a quick visit.

The tour takes approximately 1–1.5 hours. The museum is open daily—on Mondays from 12:00, and on other days from 10:00, usually until 20:00, with the last entry one hour before closing. Check the museum’s website just before your visit for ticket prices and any changes to opening hours during holidays, as these details are frequently updated.

For Whom

This isn’t an attraction for a full day—more like one or two hours squeezed between other sights in the Main Town, best combined with a stroll along Mariacka Street and some shopping with full knowledge of what to look out for. If you’re planning a longer walk through the Main Town, check out our guide → Royal Route Step by Step.

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Staying close to the Main Town makes these short side trips between shopping and sightseeing easy—see apartments in Bastion Wałowa, five minutes from the Main Town (another few minutes to Wielki Młyn and the Amber Museum in the Old Town), or contact our concierge for more tips.