Fishing Gallery

The gallery opened on June 21, 2014. In its first 8 months of operation, it has already welcomed 3,500 visitors. It was created thanks to the initiative, passion, and vision of an extraordinary man—Leszek Kołakowski. It is a private gallery, and its owner received financial support from the Słowińska Fishing Group. The facility was built from the ground up, though it is styled to look older. It is the only place in the region where visitors can learn the secrets of fishing. Leszek Kołakowski is a fisherman with 25 years of experience, the owner of a fishing boat, and above all, an enthusiast and a storyteller. These character traits undoubtedly ensured the success of his initiative. The gallery was created to showcase the collection gathered over the years. Visitors can now learn the secrets of a sea fisherman’s work by examining the items fishermen used in the past and today. The gallery’s collection includes, among other things, boats, nets, lamps, oars, anchors retrieved from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, compasses, sonar devices, and old maps. Whenever he is not at sea, Leszek Kołakowski takes on the role of a guide and eagerly introduces both young and older visitors to his gallery to the world of a fisherman’s work. When talking about the collected items, he often draws on his own experiences on the Baltic Sea. The motto at the gallery’s entrance reads: “The sea gives much, but sometimes takes away.” The gallery’s founder aims to draw tourists’ attention to the hardships and dangers of a fisherman’s work, but also to how much satisfaction this type of work brings and how many positive character traits it fosters. Leszek Kołakowski has far-reaching plans for the gallery’s development. In the near future, interactive themed lessons for children and teenagers are set to begin.

The gallery is open continuously from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. By prior telephone arrangement, it can be visited at any time. If the gallery doors are closed, simply knock on the door of the building across the street. Leszek Kołakowski lives there with his wife, and one of them will certainly give visitors a tour. There is a restroom in the gallery. Unfortunately, the two-story gallery building is not accessible to people with disabilities.