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Entering the Auschwitz Memorial

Main Reception and Related Sites

Model map of the Auschwitz Memorial visitor service center

Auschwitz Visitor Service Center

I took this photo at the entrance to Auschwitz. It's the first thing you'll see when you arrive.

The main Auschwitz parking lot area.

Entrance hours depend on the month and whether you visit with or without a guide. The Memorial is closed on January 1, December 25, Easter Sunday, and occasionally for events.

Enter With a Guide
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Without a Guide After
4:00 PM
Leave Before
7:30 PM

Reception Desks at Auschwitz Memorial

Individual Visitors

On-site ticket sales available at the Auschwitz I Main Camp entrance.

Get entry pass for joint tours at the ticket office. In the photo, the office for group leaders is visible on the left.

The reception desks shown above are marked on the map with the ticket-in-hand symbol, labeled as "entry passes" in the legend.

Model map of the Auschwitz Memorial visitor service center area with icons at different locations and information on them below.

Auschwitz Exhibition Admission

Before Entering

Leave Large Luggage

Finish Your Meal

Use the Restroom

Entering the Main Reception

Reception entrance at Auschwitz I.

Long lines may be for groups—check these tips. Do not bring prohibited items.

Scanning tickets before entering Auschwitz Memorial

At entry, show your ticket and ID. No need for ID afterward, but hold onto your ticket.

Reception entrance security gates at Auschwitz I.

Put metal items in a blue container and walk through the scanner, like at airports.

Reception – Ground Floor

Reception hallway at Auschwitz I.

After security, wait for your guide or group in the hallway. Toilets are on the left, and an info desk is in the middle.

Information desk in the Auschwitz visitor service center

The info desk offers assistance, lost ticket printing, and stickers. Nearby doors lead to a bookshop, café, and tourist info.

Oświęcim City Information office in Auschwitz I reception building.

The tourist info office offers free Wi-Fi, computers, and city guidebooks. More on Oświęcim at Tourist Info & City of Peace

Scan your ticket one last time at the hallway’s end, then go downstairs. No ID needed, but keep your ticket for Birkenau.

Visitors scanning tickets last time before going downstairs at Auschwitz I reception.

Reception – Downstairs

Headset distribution downstairs at Auschwitz I Main Camp reception.

On a guided tour, you receive a headset.

Doors to a tunnel to the main exhibition at Auschwitz I Main Camp reception underground.

A brief tunnel walk takes you outside.

A tunnel leading to the main gate and exhibition at Auschwitz I Main Camp.

By the trees ahead, take a left to the gate.

Auschwitz Memorial Vicinity

Stay longer to discover the area or relax in nature.

The Soła river surrounded by trees photographed from a bridge near the castle hill in Oświęcim

Worth Visiting in Oświęcim

The town of Oswiecim panorama, the image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International.

Oświęcim, with over 800 years of history, offers more than Auschwitz. Explore its rich heritage, beautiful surroundings, and vibrant culture.

Foundation of Memory Sites Near Auschwitz-Birkenau

The foundation protects artifacts and remains of former Auschwitz sub-camps through conservation efforts and exhibitions.

Discover Subcamps History

Women's Penal Company Budy Sub-camp building with some original Auschwitz camp objects in the yard.

Art Exhibition by an Auschwitz Survivor

Huge drawings full of human bones by Marian Kołodziej, an Auschwitz survivor, at the permanent exhibition in Harmęże.

"Clichés of Memory – Labyrinths" is a permanent art exhibition by Marian Kołodziej. He studied graphics and painting, but it wasn't until 40 years later that he chose to share his camp memories, transforming them into haunting visual narratives.

About the Exhibition
Free Virtual Tour

A piece of art with hungry people holding bowls by Marian Kołodziej, an Auschwitz survivor, at the permanent exhibition in Harmęże.
A piece of art with a gate and towers by Marian Kołodziej, an Auschwitz survivor, at the permanent exhibition in Harmęże.
A piece of art with a pierced man by Marian Kołodziej, an Auschwitz survivor, at the permanent exhibition in Harmęże.

Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents

The building of the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents

The museum honors the local inhabitants who risked their lives to aid Auschwitz prisoners during World War II. Through multimedia exhibits, visitors can experience the emotions and stories of these courageous individuals.

Visit the Museum Online

Interactive info boards inside the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents
Misty picture and exhibits inside the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents

Jewish Museum & Synagogue in Oświęcim

Visit the Oshpitzin Museum to explore the rich history of the local Jewish community and step inside the only surviving synagogue nearby.

Check the Museum Online

Exhibits displayed near the synagogue's door in theJewish Museum in Oświęcim
Photos on display in theJewish Museum & Synagogue in Oświęcim

Roma Historical Institute in Oświęcim

Walls with info boards and photos in the Roma Museum in Oświęcim

Explore the Roma history and culture through exhibitions and educational programs that highlight their rich heritage and experiences.

See the Association's Page

Walls with Auschwitz related pictures in the Roma Museum in Oświęcim

The City of Oświęcim

The market square, synagogue and castle are all in one place. Stroll through the charming old town, admire its historic architecture, and experience the warm hospitality of a community dedicated to peace and remembrance.

Oświęcim market square with castle and church towers above the surrounding buildings

Castle Museum

The castle hill in Oświęcim with a castle, photographed in the morning sun

Visit the medieval Oświęcim Castle to learn about the city's rich past through captivating exhibits in its historic chambers and mysterious underground.

The Castle History

Living quarters in the Castle Museum near the Oświęcim market square

Town Hall Museum

Step back to the vibrant era of interwar Oświęcim at the Town Hall Museum. Experience the charm of the 1930s by getting behind the wheel of a vintage Praga Baby automobile.

About Town Hall

A room with Praga Baby in the Town Hall Museum at Oświęcim market square

Essential on Site

Copyright (c) for portions of Lucide are held by Cole Bemis 2013-2022 as part of Feather (MIT). All other copyright (c) for Lucide are held by Lucide Contributors 2022. Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted.

Leisure

A visit to Auschwitz is demanding, but the nearby nature offers a place to recover. Find more on the official Małopolska Region tourism portal.

Visit Małopolska
Surrounding Nature

Accommodation

Rest well before your visit to remain focused. Accommodation options near the Museum include hotels, Airbnb stays, and integration centers.

Hotel Imperiale
Hampton by Hilton

Restaurants

The closest restaurants can be busy or expensive. Go right from the main car park gate for alternatives. Locations of my favorite fast food places:

Kebab Allis
Zasolony Burger

Stores

A regular grocery store is 200 m from Auschwitz parking lot on Obozowa St., with more stores further down. See the location.

Store on Obozowa St.

Copyright (c) for portions of Lucide are held by Cole Bemis 2013-2022 as part of Feather (MIT). All other copyright (c) for Lucide are held by Lucide Contributors 2022. Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted.

Integration

The integration centers below are just 1.5 km from the Auschwitz Memorial, offering a range of services, including accommodation.

International Youth Meeting Centre

The IYMC is a place of international and intergenerational meetings, a forum for the exchange of ideas and dialogue across cultural, social, and religious borders.

Youth Centre Online

International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim entrance

Centre for Dialogue and Prayer

The center is a place of reconciliation between people of different cultures. Educational activities include meetings with former prisoners, conferences, and seminars.

Dialogue Centre Online

Centre for Dialogue and Prayer in Oświęcim building in the sunset light

Nature Around Auschwitz

Located between two rivers, Oświęcim is surrounded by lakes and forests. Some are so close you can get there on foot.

Soła River, 800 m

Leaving the main Auschwitz parking lot, turn left and walk 8 min.

Soła river surrounded by green bushes and trees with birds flying over water.
Soła river surrounded by green bushes and trees.

Wisła River, 3 km

To the west of Birkenau there are many quiet spots along the river.

A field road surrounded by green bushes and woods near Wisła river and Auschwitz II Birkenau.

Lakes Near the Memorial

In the villages to the south, you can relax by the numerous lakes.

Rajsko woods and lakes near Soła river not far from Auschwitz memorial.

Rajsko, 2 km

Harmęże lakes seen from the Rajsko side. Auschwitz prisoners worked there too.

Harmęże, 3 km

Lake and woods in the Brzeszcze Budy nature reserve near Auschwitz

Brzeszcze, 4 km