Introduction – Amber is the color of your energy

Hindi ako mahilig or marunong magbasa ng aura. So ang only interaction ko with amber ay yung kanta ng 311 with the lyrics “Amber is the color of your energy”. Na to be honest, sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Yet, here I am. Nag search ng things to do in Gdansk. And since there’s no experience na hindi ko papatulan, napadpad ako sa Muzeum Bursztynu (Amber Museum).

And what is amber doing in Gdansk? I’m glad you asked. As a Sineskwela kid, you would be interested to know na, amber is lighter than saltwater! It’s also the reason why it was easier to collect them in the Baltic region from the Baltic Sea. #Mindblown

(Amber din pala is one of the Survivor legends + the other one starred in Aquaman and that media circus with Johnny Depp)

I get an amber. You get an amber. Everybody gets an amber.

• For science geeks, apparently, amber works like a fossil. Okay – hindi ako sure if “fossil” is the right term. Pero maraming halaman, insekto, gagamba and the like ang trapped inside, showcasing life from millions of years back. That is all on display for you!

• For mythology geeks, apparently, it had the power to ward off evil spirits and heal. And baka nga it still has. Puro stories of course, no demo. (No judgement pero di ako believer.)

• For the architecture geeks, the place where the museum is situated used to be a prison and torture chamber. And quite frankly, eto yung dahilan bakit ko siya binisita. But little did I know, showcasing that origin was a little part of the experience. (Hindi ako nagrereklamo, just saying).

• For culture and arts geeks, daming sculptures, religious artifacts, and even fashion based on amber. For me, ang most impressive ay ang gitarang gawa sa amber.

• For history geeks, amber masters from Gdansk ang tumulong i-design at i-produce (and ireconstruct later on) ang Amber Room. The Amber Room is often referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. (Coincidentally, sabi rin yan ng mga Pilipino sa Banaue Rice Terraces, na hopefully mapuntahan ko one day).
  
  The Amber Room is in St Petersburg, Russia, though reconstruction na lang yun. It apparently disappeared nung World War II and never to be found again. It’s giving Atlantis vibe.

Logistics

Located ang Muzeum Bursztynu in the Old Town of Gdansk. In short, quite central (assuming your base is near the centre).

Cost was 29 PLN (which is roughly 8 Euros). Looking at it online, parang dapat cheaper. I see others quoting a price as late as this year saying 20 PLN lang. Pero di ko na mababalik ang nakaraan. Baka nadaya ako. Plus, apparently on Mondays, free ang entrance.

While three floors overall, it’s not overwhelming. It’s an activity for an hour to two hours without rushing. And that’s what I ended up doing.

Overall Point of View

I would say the museum is a bit specialised. So if amber is not your thing, maybe stay away.

I learned something new. Not what I was expecting. But that alone was worth it.

Would I revisit? Baka no? Only because dami ko pa gusto puntahan sa Gdansk na hindi ko nagawa. I guess if libre!