Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

A site opened in the first months of Nazi rule

The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site preserves the location of a camp established on March 22, 1933, only weeks after Adolf Hitler became German chancellor. The Nazi authorities initially held political prisoners there. Dachau later served as a model for other concentration camps and a training ground for SS personnel. Over the camp’s twelve years, more than 200,000 people from across Europe were imprisoned in Dachau and its many subcamps; the memorial gives 41,500 as the number murdered. US troops liberated the survivors on April 29, 1945. These figures belong to the memorial’s historical account and should be read as evidence of persecution, not as a measure of individual lives.

The name “Dachau” became attached to a system far larger than the surviving main camp. The camp network expanded across southern Germany as the war progressed, while prisoners were subjected to forced labor, violence, hunger and disease. The memorial’s interpretation helps visitors understand how a place first presented as a prison for political opponents developed into an instrument of terror. Approaching the site with that chronology in mind is important: the buildings and grounds are not a theatrical reconstruction, but a historical place associated with real victims, survivors, perpetrators and families.

From survivor initiative to a place of learning

The memorial on the former camp grounds was established in 1965 at the initiative of survivors who had formed the Comité International de Dachau. They helped shape the site as a place of remembrance and public education. A new permanent historical exhibition was created between 1996 and 2003 around the guiding idea of the “Path of the Prisoners.” Its purpose is to connect the history of the camp to the experiences and routes of those imprisoned there, rather than present the site as a collection of isolated objects.

Visitors encounter the permanent exhibition alongside the former grounds and memorial spaces. The institution’s website also provides a map, digital tours, survivor testimony and research resources for people who want to prepare or continue learning afterward. A visit can raise difficult questions, and the memorial recommends age-appropriate preparation: it does not offer a special exhibition for children and advises that children under 13 refrain from visiting. Its educational programs, including tours and audio guides, are intended for visitors aged 13 and older. The guidance reflects the subject matter and the memorial’s responsibility to survivors and victims.

Opening hours, guided tours and respectful conduct

The grounds, visitor center and exhibitions are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 24. Entry is free and an advance appointment is not required for an individual visit. The former crematorium area closes to visitors at 4:30 p.m., earlier than the rest of the site. The memorial says most visitors need about half a day to explore the grounds and exhibitions; anyone with less time should choose priorities rather than rush through the entire site. Opening hours and access can change for commemorative events, so check the official notice before travelling.

Public tours for individual visitors are offered daily in German at noon and in English at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The memorial’s FAQ says they usually last two and a half hours and cost €4. Places are limited to 30 people; tickets are sold at the visitor center on the day, at least 45 minutes before the tour, and cannot be reserved. Audio guides are also available. The memorial asks visitors to treat the grounds as a cemetery and place of mourning. Follow the posted visitor rules, avoid disruptive photography, and do not use drones; these are part of visiting responsibly, not optional etiquette.

Getting there from Munich and planning ahead

The address is Pater-Roth-Straße 2a, 85221 Dachau. From Munich Central Station, take the S2 train in the direction of Dachau or Petershausen; the rail journey to Dachau station takes about 25 minutes. From there, bus 726 toward Saubachsiedlung stops at “KZ-Gedenkstätte,” by the memorial entrance. The operator recommends public transport where possible because parking is limited and can become crowded. A Munich M-1 day ticket covers the S-Bahn journey from central Munich to Dachau and the local bus, according to the memorial’s directions.

Drivers can use the car park beside the memorial at Alte Römerstraße 73. The official directions list a fee of €3 for a car and €5 for a bus and warn that card payment is not accepted there; take a suitable payment method and do not assume spaces will be available in summer. The former camp is in Dachau-Ost, outside Munich, so allow time for the train and onward bus rather than planning around a city-center address. Before departure, check the memorial’s current transport and visitor information. Most importantly, set aside time to read, reflect and remember: this is a memorial to people who suffered and died, not a site for casual entertainment.