Southend Pier / Sopot Pier Project

You may be aware that Southend is twinned with Sopot in Poland. The question is why? In the Pier Museum we had two small pictures of Sopot pier. However, the specific details remain largely unknown.  

Part of the Museum’s charitable status is to enhance understanding of the Pier and to educate our visitors. We also have an aim to work with education communities. The question of Sopot has brought this all together.

We approached Southend College with the idea and the Hospitality and Travel sector agreed to undertake a project on Sopot and to look at how our Museum is performing.

The students spent over two months researching the background to the twinning and our Museum visitor profile.

On 25th November 2025, the students presented their findings at the Pier Museum to the Mayor and Mayoress, Museum Trustees and Volunteers. And what a fantastic job they did.

We now have facts about Sopot Pier, a semi-permanent interactive display about Sopot and Southend. Together with ideas on how to raise awareness of and improve our Museum. Which has been a great experience and help to us.

If you want to know more about Southend’s twinning with Sopot, come and visit Southend Pier Museum.

Written by Steve Brown, Trustee at Southend Pier Museum