Planning Your Trip
Visit in the summer for the longest museum hours. The museum is open all year long, seven days a week (with the exception of January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday). However, you’ll have to leave in the early afternoon if you choose to go in the months of November, December, January, or February. Not only will you have more time at the museum during the summer, you’ll also enjoy Poland’s warmer weather. While winter can be pretty with all the snow, it’ll be cold and daylight hours will be short. In December, the museum closes at 2:00 PM. In January and November, the museum closes at 3:00 PM. In February, the museum closes at 4:00 PM. In March and October, the museum closes at 5:00 PM. In April, May, and September, the museum closes at 6:00 PM In June, July, and August, the museum closes at 7:00 PM. The museum opens at 7:30 AM throughout the year. You can remain in the museum for an hour and a half after the entrance closes. So in June, for example, you can stay on the grounds until 8:30 PM.
Book air travel about a year ahead of time. Especially if you’re traveling in the summer, flights to Europe book up quickly. Your rates also won’t drop if you wait to purchase. In fact, they’ll probably get higher the closer you get to your departure date! As soon as you’ve got your dates finalized, book your plane ticket. There are two major international airports within 50 kilometres (31 mi) of Auschwitz, Kraków-Balice and Katowice-Pyrzowice. Kraków-Balice is slightly larger, so there may be more flights in and out of this location.
Reserve housing in Oświęcim to stay close to the museum. Oświęcim is a small city located just 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Auschwitz, making travel between the museum and city quite easy and quick. If you enjoy walking, you’ll likely be able to travel by foot from your hotel doorstep to the to the museum entrance. Otherwise, you can take the local bus to the museum entrance stop. The bus will only cost you a few PLN.
Book housing in Kraków for more entertainment and restaurant options. Kraków may be a better option if you’re hoping to spend a few days exploring after you’ve visited Auschwitz, but it’ll definitely add to your travel time. Kraków is about 70 kilometres (43 mi) from Oświęcim, so expect your journey to take at least two hours. You can also book a hotel in Oświęcim for a night or two, then travel to Kraków after your visit to Auschwitz is over. The train will be more spacious (though more expensive) than the bus. It’ll drop you at the Oświęcim train station, located about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Auschwitz. Either walk or take the local bus to the museum from there. A one-way train ticket from the main Kraków station (Kraków Główny) to Oświęcim costs 15,6 PLN (Polish Zloty, or zł), and it costs 1,70 PLN to take the local Oświęcim bus from the bus stop outside the train station to the museum stop. There are several different bus options between Kraków and Auschwitz. None of them will cost more than 12 PLN, and they’ll all drop you off at the museum entrance. Book your bus ticket at the main bus station in Kraków, the MDA Coach Station located in the city centre.
Consider booking an organized tour of the museum and region. There are several different tour companies that include Auschwitz on their itineraries. The company will coordinate your travel to and from the museum, as well as your entry tickets to the museum. If you prefer to leave the planning to someone else, this may be your best bet. It’ll also be pricier than coordinating your own visit. Most of these tour companies will be based out of Kraków. Go online to find a tour company and itinerary that appeals to you. Be sure to read user reviews before booking. Your actual guide in the museum will not be a member of your tour company. The only guides authorized to take visitors through Auschwitz are licensed by the museum.
Reserve your tickets for the museum online. Museum admission is free unless you book a tour. If you’re traveling in an organized group, you’re required to book a tour. You may also choose to book a tour as an individual or family. Regardless, you need to fill out an entry card ahead of your visit by visiting: http://visit.auschwitz.org/. If you’re not reserving a spot on a tour, select your date and the option “Tour for individuals without an educator.” Half-day tours last three and a half hours and cost 45 PLN. Full-day tours last six hours and cost 70 PLN. If you’re under 26 and have a valid student card, your ticket price will be discounted by 10 PLN. Any student card (from middle school, high school, or college) will work so long as you are under 26 years old. The museum recommends booking a tour. Be aware that these spots fill up quickly, especially if you’d like to go on the English-language tour.
Get familiar with Polish currency. The Polish Zloty is equivalent to about a quarter of a USD or Euro. The easiest way to exchange currency is to withdraw cash from an ATM machine once you arrive in Poland. Be sure to notify your bank that you’re traveling to Poland. Currency exchange rates can change from year to year and month to month. Go online a few days before you leave to get a realistic expectation of your exchange rate.
Packing for Your Trip
Pack trousers and lots of different layers. Poland can get cold and wet, even in summer. Be prepared for rain and mud, especially at the museum site. Pack different options so you’re prepared for both warmer and cooler days. And don’t forget a rain jacket! For example, bring along a few t-shirts, a long-sleeved shirt, and a sweater, as well as several pairs of long pants. Skirts, dresses, and/or shorts could also be helpful. If you’re visiting in the winter, you’ll need a full set of winter gear. Pack your jacket, scarf, gloves, and a hat.
Choose comfortable, waterproof walking shoes. You’re going to walk around a lot on your museum visit, especially if you choose to walk the distance between Auschwitz and Birkenau (Auschwitz II). The ground is also uneven in certain places. Go for sturdy shoes with a good tread. Expect them to get muddy. Avoid wearing heels, fashion boots, or cloth shoes that’ll stain. You should also skip the flip-flops. The two camps are about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) apart. There’s also a free shuttle bus that runs between the two locations every ten minutes to half-hour, depending on the season.
Double check that you’ve got your passport and other necessities. Bring all your medications and daily vitamins or supplements, as well as your health insurance card. Depending on where you’re traveling from, you may also need an adapter plug for your electronics. Finally, be absolutely sure you’ve packed your up-to-date passport, visa documents, and methods of payment. To avoid forgetting something, make a written checklist. You can go through it right before you leave.
Purchase a Polish-language dictionary if you don’t speak the language. It’s always a good idea to learn some basic phrases before you visit another country. This is not only smart for safety purposes, it’s also common courtesy. Keep your dictionary handy for more complicated phrases or vocabulary. Start with “hello,” “goodbye,” “I’m sorry,” “excuse me,” “where is the closest bathroom?,” “please,” and “thank you.”
Consider bringing a notebook to write about your visit. There will be a lot of information to absorb at the museum. Unless you write details down, you probably won’t remember them later. You might also want to write a reflective journal entry after you’ve gotten back to your hotel room. Bring a pencil instead of a pen, as that’s safer for the historical artifacts.
Being Respectful at Auschwitz
Set aside a full day to learn and reflect at the museum. This isn’t a visit you can just do in an hour. The museum recommends setting aside a minimum of three and a half hours. However, if you want to absorb as much as you can from the site, give it a whole day. If you’re traveling from Kraków, don’t plan afternoon or early evening activities in the city.
Wear comfortable but respectful clothing. There isn’t a dress code for visiting Auschwitz, but the museum does ask that you wear clothing that’s appropriate for the setting. It’s best to avoid graphic t-shirts, clothing that exposes a lot of bare skin, or any other items that might be distracting for other visitors. For example, you might wear jeans or khakis, a plain button-down or t-shirt, and a cardigan.
Consider leaving children under fourteen behind. The museum suggests that children younger than fourteen may not be ready to visit. Young children might not appreciate the gravity of the site’s history, and they could end up offending or distracting other visitors.
Leave large bags or purses at your hotel or in a locker. Bags larger than 30 by 20 by 10 centimetres (11.8 by 7.9 by 3.9 in) won’t be allowed into the museum. Your bags may also be searched before you’re allowed to enter the grounds. This means that only very small bags (like a tiny hand purse or wristlet) will be allowed on the grounds. Larger bags will need to be placed in lockers, which will cost a few PLN to secure.
Take pictures only where you’re allowed to do so. You are allowed to take pictures on the grounds and in several of the buildings. If you’re inside, you cannot use flash or a tripod. You’re also completely prohibited from taking photos in Room 5 of Block 4, the cellars of Block 11, or the security check area. Don’t break these rules, as the museum staff has put them in place for a reason. Certain prohibitions on photography might be out of respect for the victims. The flash can also be damaging to historical artifacts.
Use your photos to reflect and avoid taking selfies. For some people, photography can be a great way to think quietly about their surroundings. Documenting the site might also help you contemplate what you saw once you leave. Be aware that taking pictures of yourself at the grounds may be distracting for other visitors.
Wait to eat or drink until you’ve reached the cafeteria. Consumption of food and alcohol is prohibited on museum grounds. You can drink water. There is a cafeteria and cafe in the visitor’s center at Auschwitz I, where you’ll be able to get a hearty, full meal. Be aware that there are no food options at Birkenau (Auschwitz II). You can also pack a lunch if you’d like. However, since this lunch probably won’t fit in a small bag, it’ll need to be left in a locker.
Maintain a quiet, reflective attitude at the site. Speak in a low, soft voice and move slowly through the buildings and grounds. Some of your fellow visitors may be descendants of people who died in the camp. Be sensitive to the emotions of these and other visitors. Take the history of the site seriously and don’t make light of the suffering of the victims. Use your time to think about what lessons you can learn from this place and how you might apply those lessons to your day-to-day life. Try to think about actions that could be offensive or hurtful to your fellow visitors. For example, laughing or smiling a lot might seem insensitive to others. Wait to tell your funny joke until after you’ve left the museum. Avoid questioning local townspeople about their "responsibility" to have stopped the deaths at nearby concentration camps. You will note that some camps were /are less than 2 miles from a camp. There were many reasons no one intervened, including that even Germans could have been executed. Plus, anyone you might "confront" now was not even alive in WW2. Reflect on your questions; journal about it. But leave townspeople alone.
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