Located in the town of Oświęcim, the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was created in 1946 on the site of the former Nazi Germany concentration camp of Auschwitz under the guidance of Poland’s Ministry of Culture and Art by Tadeusz Wąsowicz and other former Auschwitz prisoners. The museum was officially founded in 1947 with its first exhibition being on the anniversary of the deportation of its first Polish prisoners. The exhibition expanded in 1950 depicting the living conditions and extermination of prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp with a new exhibition added in 1955 which is still in use today. Creation of ‘’national exhibitions’’ in 1960 allowed countries to portray the lives and tragic fate of the citizens deported from their homelands to Auschwitz concentration camp. The site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was added to the UNESCO international list of world heritages in 1979.
Transfer from Kraków and Katowice Airport
Today, exploring this large complex of camps with main exhibitions located in camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II or Birkenau, Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum offers a variety of guided tours and exhibitions under the care of roughly 300 educators being available in 20 languages. Visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum from the cities of Krakow and Katowice is the easiest way of doing so with both cities being close to the museum and offering Auschwitz tours. Both Krakow and Katowice offer a variety of commute options for visiting the museum ranging from budget-friendly buses and trains to more expensive taxis.
Booking a tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
Book the tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum or OneDay Trip
Organized Auschwitz tours are also a possibility and maybe the most efficient way of visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Before deciding on a trip to the museum make sure you buy a ticket or book a tour of Auschwitz beforehand due to the high number of visitors and long queues. Booking a tour in today’s world should be easier than ever with options of booking an Auschwitz tour via one of the many online services or through one of the agencies available in the cities of Kraków and Katowice for those who prefer a more face-to-face approach.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum during COVID-19
The global pandemic of COVID-19 and regulations implemented by the government in order to fight the pandemic, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum heavily regulated the public access and the working staff of the museum. Physical distancing regulations, protective masks, and a one-way movement system are mandatory and became the standard practice of the museum. With the pandemic still in effect and measures taken to halt the spread of COVID-19, you might want to consider avoiding the crowded areas and transports.
The option of booking private transport for your Auschwitz tour and buying your ticket online might serve as an additional measure of protection from the pandemic when visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum.