Museums
AMBER MUSEUM
The amber museum in Kaliningrad houses the biggest collection of amber with more than 6,000 pieces - in jewellery, boxes and some copies of parts of the legendary Amber room, part of Catherine the Great`s summer residence near St. Petersburg. The richly ornamented frescoes were dismantled by the German army in 1941 and brought to Königsberg where they were last seen in the castle. Its whereabouts remain a mystery... At press time work was being done on the third floor. As for when the renovations will be done that also remains a mystery.
pl. Vasilevskovo 1
Tel: 46 15 63
10:00-17:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-17:00
BUNKER MUSEUM
Located in front of Kaliningrad University across from the Kant memorial, the bunker served as the underground command post of German General Otto von Lasch during the war. Diagrams - incomprehensible to non-Russian speakers - illustrate the Red Army`s conquest of Königsberg in 1945. Somewhat easier to understand are the museum`s numerous photographs and graphic dioramas of street battles. Visitors can also see room 13, where von Lasch signed the German capitulation. Another room offers souvenirs, surprisingly not war-time memorabilia, but amber and ceramic items.
Universitetskaya 2
Tel: 53 65 9346 05 93
10:00-18:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-18:00
CATHEDRAL AND KANT`S GRAVE
After more than fifty years, bells once again toll across the Kneiphof island in the Pregolya river. In 1995 a clock and four bells were returned to the 14th-century Gothic cathedral, restoring life to the proud church where once the Prussian kings were crowned - the structure was burnt to the ground during wartime bombing and completely neglected afterwards. So far three of the bells have names: Alexander the Great, Alexander Nevsky and Kneiphof. The nameless fourth bell is still waiting for some benefactor to come along and finish the restoration job. The clock itself is the work of the German Harald Getz from Fulda. It differs slightly from the original - it`s run by computer. Thanks to war and Soviet planning the Kneiphof is now a favourite spot for afternoon strolls and fishing, rather than a lively, bustling district. The museum in the church gives a peek into the area`s former life. Unfortunately, the inside of the church is mostly in scaffolding as a long renovation proceeds. Newlyweds often lay flowers at Kant`s grave, located around the back. Near Kant`s grave sits a large stone commemorating the opening of the university here on August 17, 1544.
Ostrov Kanta
Tel: 27 25 8344 68 68
09:00-16:30
except:
Fri: 09:00-16:30
MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART
Badly damaged during the air raids in 1944, the `Stadthalle` concert hall stood in ruins until 1991, when the reconstructed building opened again as the regional Museum of History and Art. A brief exhibition traces the history of Königsberg and the natural history of the region including a fascinating display on a recent archaelogical dig. The most interesting display, covering the transformation of the city from 1945 - 1950, is set obscurely in a back room. The second floor is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War (that`s WWII to most of us). Be aware that opening hours are merely possibilities as sometimes the museum closes early due to lack of "fuel" for the lighting.
Klinitcheskaya 21
Tel: 45 38 44
10:00-18:00
except:
Fri: 10:00-18:00
MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF THE RAILROAD IN KALININGRAD
Across from the bus station find this small outdoor museum dedicated to the fascinating subject of the railroad in Kaliningrad. A perfect place to march around and check out the trains from days gone by before taking the plush state-of-the-art overnight to Minsk.
Kievskaya 3
13:00-17:00
except:
Fri: 13:00-17:00
MUSEUM OF THE WORLD OCEANS
The German-built ship `Mars`, which helped thousands of Germans flee East Prussia, has been reincarnated as the Russian `Vityaz` and now houses the oceanographic museum.
Petra Velikovo nab. 1
Tel: 43 63 02
15:00-18:00
except:
Fri: 15:00-18:00
Sat: 11:00-18:00
Sun: 11:00-18:00
MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF THE RAILROAD IN KALININGRAD
Across from the bus station find this small outdoor museum dedicated to the fascinating subject of the railroad in Kaliningrad. A perfect place to march around and check out the trains from days gone by before taking the plush state-of-the-art overnight to Minsk.
Kievskaya 3
13:00-17:00
except:
Fri: 13:00-17:00
