Auschwitz: Concentration Camp Visiting Hours

Are you thinking of visiting Auschwitz concentration camp and wondering where to find the key information to organize your visit? Great, you are in the best place for you!

In this article we will find out together the essential information to help you make the best arrangements. We will look at the visiting hours of Auschwitz and the holidays on which you will not be able to enter. In addition, I will give you a brief overview of the camp as a place of historical memory.

But before we go any further, pay attention: we strongly recommend that you reserve a skip-the-line entrance, only in this way can you avoid the very long waits at the entrance. You will also be able to add an essential option: accompaniment by an experienced guide, which is really essential in order to have a complete and truly enriching experience in one of the most communicative historical places in the world! Ready to go? Click here to learn about the best option for your visit!

Visiting Auschwitz: official opening hours

Periods of the year and seasonal variations

If you are planning to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, you should be prepared about the visiting hours. In fact, the length of time the concentration camp is open observes variations depending on the season in which you plan to visit.

Obviously, the summer months observe a longer schedule than the winter months, since you will be able to count on more light and milder temperatures.

But let’s look at it more specifically: the month of December offers the fewest opportunities, since you can enter the museum-camp from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

As for January and November, the last entry allowed is 3 p.m., forFebruary 4 p.m., while in March and October you can enter until 5 p.m.

As the days get longer and the temperatures rise, Auschwitz hours will become wider, so we come to some warmer months when we feel we can recommend visiting: in fact, in April, May and September you can enter Auschwitz until 6 p.m.!

Clearly, climate-wise, the summer months of June, July, and August are the best months in which to access Auschwitz, but consider that these are considered high season months.

In summer you can enter the camp until 7 p.m., but beware! If you decide to enter close to the last available time, at any time of the year, you can stay inside Auschwitz for another hour and a half. So, for example, if you enter at 2 p.m. on a December day, you can stay inside Auschwitz only until 3:30 p.m., while if you enter the site at 7 p.m. in July, you can stay inside until 8:30 p.m. at the latest.

In conclusion, consider that these are the hours of the Auschwitz Museum:

Month(s)	Opening	Closing
December	08:00	14:00
January, November	08:00	15:00
February	08:00	16:00
March, October	08:00	17:00
April, May, September	08:00	18:00
June, July, August	08:00	19:00

The library, former prisoner information office, archives and administration observe the following hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon.

Closed days

Another essential information concerns the closing days. You will be pleased to know that the camp observes only three fixed closures: Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter.

Please note: the camp may be closed to visitors during official state visits or special ceremonies on the occasion of “Remembrance Day”, 27 January. However, the museum always announces any special closures well in advance.

Auschwitz useful info: how much time to devote to the visit

Visiting the museum and exhibits

To visit Auschwitz I you will need about 90 minutes. Whether you move alone or with a guide, there will be no substantial difference in terms of time, but only with the help of an experienced escort will you be able to fully absorb the teaching that this place whispers to its visitors.

In the main camp of Auschwitz you will be able to visit the various blocks used to carry out the extermination of the prisoners: you will visit the barracks in which the deportees lived, the gas chambers and the crematoria; you will be able to observe the poor hygienic conditions of all the facilities, the Wall of Death and much more.

You will also have the opportunity to observe artifacts, such as objects that belonged to the inmates, used gas canisters, victims’ hair… In various areas of the museum-camp you will also find artistic works by survivors or photographs secretly taken during the terrible extermination operations.

Inside the museum-camp you will find various exhibitions, some permanent, others variable, dedicated to the victims of the genocide. Many of them are national in character, that is, organized by individual countries affected by this massacre: the purpose is to show that the whole world was affected by the crimes of the Nazis.

Visit to Birkenau

You will also need about an hour and a half to visit Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Compared to the main camp, however, this time you will have larger visitable spaces in front of you.

The barracks in this second camp were mostly destroyed as the Nazis tried to erase evidence of their crimes. Nevertheless, you will be able to see some of them intact in both wood and masonry.

You will be able to visit the railroad yard through which prisoners were led to the camp, many of whom already found death during the inhumane journey.

It will also be possible to visit the ovens and gas chambers of Birkenau, although here too the Nazis attempted to destroy them.

Finally, you will be able to see the imposing watchtower and the Auschwitz International Memorial Monument to the Victims of Nazi Fascism, opened in 1967, which stands on the same spot where the historic Auschwitz director, Rudolf Hoß, was hanged.

Other useful information for visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau

I would now like to provide you with some tips for having the best possible experience.

First, I suggest that you arrive very early at the camp, even before it opens: only in this way will you be able to move around the site, avoiding excessive crowding that could undermine the depth of the visit.

If you travel by public transportation, you should be adequately prepared and ready to deal with any delays, so that you avoid the risk of running into unpleasant mishaps.

If you have chosen to arrive at Auschwitz by train or bus, I recommend that you start your journey very early as you will be able to rely on transportation from Krakow from the early hours.

If, on the other hand, you are leaving from Katowice, it might be a winning idea to rent a car or move around by cab considering the shortness of the journey.

You can also consider moving to Oświęcim as early as the previous day and staying overnight in this town: by doing so, you will be sure to be at the museum entrance very early on the morning of your visit.

Finally, remember to bring your documents and reservation for the entrance; get some water, given the length of the visit, and perhaps bring a camera if you want to take pictures.

Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes, and that you will not be allowed to carry backpacks larger than 30x20x10 cm.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Hours: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusions

Here we come to the conclusion of this article of ours. We have seen that for a better visit, it would be best to arrive at the museum-camp on a weekday and, if possible, make the entrance very early in the morning.

It is advisable, because of the climate, to visit Auschwitz between spring and fall, taking into consideration that July and August are the peak season months.

We haveanswered some of the most frequently asked questions and provided you with an overview of the camp’s opening hours and days, however, if you would like more information, please visit our website and read our other dedicated articles.

And if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, you can leave a comment below!In conclusion, I would like once again to remind you of the importance of reserving a priority access ticket so that you don’t lose time in line, but most of all I would like to advise you to consider the help of an experienced guide during your visit!

Only with his help will you be able to grasp every detail and return home truly enriched.

Cover photo: ID 344139540 | Auschwitz © Wirestock | Dreamstime.com