ABSTRACT

The last two centuries of Polish history are marked by voluntary and forced migrations as a result of political, cultural, and economic changes that have altered the nation’s borders. Moreover, Polish migrations have had unusually varied destinations, ranging from the Communist east to the democratic United States, from internal resettlements to sea voyages. Within Poland, the city of Gdynia is notable for its involvement in migration and emigration because of its access to the sea and its maritime economy. The Emigration Museum in Gdynia, which opened on May 16, 2015, is especially worthy of study, because its complex history, metropolitan setting, and diverse collections yield nuanced understandings of population movements in the nascent twenty-first century.