We’ll admit to not being able to get that excited about a visit to a museum exhibiting amber, despite the completely incredible process that produces it and the unique window it gives to the time that dinosaurs walked the earth. But we’ll admit to quite enjoying the Kaliningrad Amber Museum. This might have something to do with the fact that here, we are in the home of the vast majority of the world’s amber deposits and that for centuries Kaliningrad and Königsberg before it was home to some of the world’s leading amber craftsmen. It might also have something to do with the museum being located in the remodelled interiors of the Dohna Tower, so you can experience two things at once. Also on the list of pluses is that the museum has a generous smattering of (not necessarily word perfect) English-language descriptions which help to explain not just the formation of amber but also some of its history in the traditions of different groups and some of the more unusual pieces that have been discovered.
The exhibits themselves are also well worth a look and among them you’ll find the second largest piece of amber ever found (weighing in at over 4kg); some beautiful sacral pieces and, our favourite, pieces with insects and even bits of a lizard inside.
To get the most out of your visit pick up an audio guide when you arrive and take a few minutes to wander the souvenir stalls at the end of your trip.
Note: In case you were wondering the largest piece of amber was discovered in an area that is today Poland and can be found on display in the Humboldt Museum in Berlin.
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