Warsaw Uprising

When in Warsaw, go to the Warsaw Uprising museum. I implore you. Everything you ever wanted to know about the period of Nazi occupation during World War Two is on display (often with chilling realism). And while it may lack Louvre cachet or the Beijing Military History Museum propaganda blitz, it makes up for it with sheer effort and interactivity.

The first thing you see when you walk in is a giant wall that emits a perpetual heartbeat in honour of those who experienced the occupation. Also embedded in the wall are tiny speakers that play gunfire, music of the era, buildings collapsing, and radio transmissions. This exhibit is perhaps the most innovative and effective thing I have ever seen in a museum.

About five minutes in, an air raid was simulated. The speakers blared sounds of airplanes flying over head and bombs dropping. All of a sudden, one exploded violently. It all seemed so real that I went looking for cover.

The rest of the museum is equally fascinating. You can walk through a simulated sewer that is absolutely pitch black (i.e. you can't see a foot in front of you), step inside a prison cell, and go underground to see details of the resistance movement. There are even restored documents that people would fill in when they found a unidentified body.

The final exhibit is a small red hallway with one giant hammer and sickle. Need it say more? A rather apt pre-cursor to the soon-to-be-built Museum of Communism.