Arriving at the Auschwitz Museum can be chaotic and confusing thanks to large crowds, numerous ticket windows with different designations, and excessive signage that contradicts itself. This can be avoided by going as part of an organised group tour, organised by a local tour company. If you are visiting independently however, or in a small group, find the queue for the desk marked ‘Individual Guests’. During peak tourist season the museum now makes it obligatory to buy a ticket and become part of a guided tour, however when the museum is less crowded it is possible to explore the museum for free without a guide. If you find yourself forced into a guided tour (which we recommend doing in any case), you can take heart in knowing that it is excellent, profound and professional, and afterwards you'll find it hard to imagine getting as much out of your visit had you explored the grounds on your own. Tours in English depart most frequently, and there are also regularly scheduled tours in German, French, Italian, Polish and Spanish. Tour departure times change frequently; exact times can be seen online at auschwitz.org.pl and it would be wise to look them up before visiting. The museum makes a big effort to provide the tour in the native language of each guest, and tours in languages other than those just mentioned can be easily arranged if done in advance.
After purchasing your ticket and headphones, if there are seats available your experience will begin with a harrowing 20 minute film (seeing the film is not guaranteed during peak times) of narrated footage captured by the Soviet Army when they arrived to liberate the camp in January 1945. The film is not recommended for children under 14 (nor is the entire museum for that matter). After the film, your tour of the camp begins with a live guide speaking into a microphone which you hear through your headphones.
Visiting Auschwitz is a full day’s excursion so prepare accordingly (comfortable shoes). The guided tour of Auschwitz I takes around 2 hours, so make sure you’ve eaten breakfast. After completing the tour of the first camp, there is only a short break of about 20 minutes before the bus leaves for Auschwitz-Birkenau II; in order to stay with the same tour guide, you need to catch that bus, so it would be wise to pack some food for the day (though there is some limited food available at the museum). The tour of the second camp is shorter, lasting 1-1.5 hours, after which you are free to explore on your own and take some much needed time for reflection. Buses depart back to Auschwitz I every 30 minutes, or you can walk or catch a cab to the train station 1.5km away. At Auschwitz I there are restrooms (have change available), a fast food bar and restaurant; there are also restroom facilities at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. If exploring Auschwitz without a guide, it is highly recommended that you pick up the official guidebook (5zł), whose map of the camp is crucial to avoid missing any of the key sites; these can be picked up at any of the numerous bookshops at both sites.
After purchasing your ticket and headphones, if there are seats available your experience will begin with a harrowing 20 minute film (seeing the film is not guaranteed during peak times) of narrated footage captured by the Soviet Army when they arrived to liberate the camp in January 1945. The film is not recommended for children under 14 (nor is the entire museum for that matter). After the film, your tour of the camp begins with a live guide speaking into a microphone which you hear through your headphones.
Visiting Auschwitz is a full day’s excursion so prepare accordingly (comfortable shoes). The guided tour of Auschwitz I takes around 2 hours, so make sure you’ve eaten breakfast. After completing the tour of the first camp, there is only a short break of about 20 minutes before the bus leaves for Auschwitz-Birkenau II; in order to stay with the same tour guide, you need to catch that bus, so it would be wise to pack some food for the day (though there is some limited food available at the museum). The tour of the second camp is shorter, lasting 1-1.5 hours, after which you are free to explore on your own and take some much needed time for reflection. Buses depart back to Auschwitz I every 30 minutes, or you can walk or catch a cab to the train station 1.5km away. At Auschwitz I there are restrooms (have change available), a fast food bar and restaurant; there are also restroom facilities at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. If exploring Auschwitz without a guide, it is highly recommended that you pick up the official guidebook (5zł), whose map of the camp is crucial to avoid missing any of the key sites; these can be picked up at any of the numerous bookshops at both sites.
