A place of remembrance
The Nazi regime opened the Dachau concentration camp on 22 March 1933, on the grounds of a disused powder and munitions factory. US troops liberated the camp on 29 April 1945. In the twelve years in between, more than 200,000 people from over 40 nations were imprisoned in the camp and its subcamps. At least 41,500 of them died there.
Today the former camp is the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. It remembers the people who were persecuted, imprisoned and murdered here. A visit is not a sightseeing stop. It asks for time, attention and quiet.
This website is an independent visitor guide. It is not the website of the memorial site, of the Bavarian Memorials Foundation (Stiftung Bayerische Gedenkstätten) or of the town of Dachau. Binding information is available only from the memorial site itself.
The memorial site today
The memorial site opened on 9 May 1965 with a documentary exhibition. It came about on the initiative of survivors. Since 2003 it has been run by the Bavarian Memorials Foundation.
The main exhibition is housed in the former maintenance building of the camp and opened on 2 May 2003. Its guiding theme is the path of the prisoners. The texts in the exhibition and on the grounds are in German and English. Further exhibitions are located in the former camp prison, in the reconstructed barrack and at the former crematorium. The visitor center at the entrance opened on 29 April 2009.
The barracks you see today are reconstructions, not original buildings. In front of the former maintenance building stands the International Memorial by Nandor Glid, inaugurated on 8 September 1968. The page on visiting the memorial site describes the grounds place by place.
Guided visits from Munich
A guided visit in a small group with travel from Munich and back. Only guides licensed by the memorial site may lead tours on the grounds.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided visits from Munich
Guided visits to the Dachau memorial site from Munich. Before booking, please check with the memorial site that the guide is licensed to lead tours on the grounds.
Planning a visit
The key facts as published by the memorial site, as of October 2026. Please check the current details on the website of the memorial site before your visit.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Admission | Free, no advance registration needed for an individual visit |
| Opening hours | Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including the visitor center, grounds and exhibitions |
| Closed | 24 December (in 2026: 24 December 2026); no regular closing day on Mondays |
| Former crematorium area | Last entry 4:30 p.m. |
| Audio guide | €5, reduced €4, plus a deposit; for visitors aged 13 and over |
| Public guided tour | €4, 2.5 hours, in English daily at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., in German at 12 noon |
| Time needed | About half a day for the grounds and exhibitions |
| Address for visitors | Pater-Roth-Strasse 2a, 85221 Dachau |
Free admission does not mean that everything is free. The audio guide, the public guided tour and the visitor car park are charged separately. Tickets for the public guided tour are sold on the day at the information desk in the visitor center, at least 45 minutes before the start. They cannot be reserved. Only persons licensed by the memorial site may lead tours on the grounds. If you book a guide elsewhere, check the license with the memorial site first. More on this on the page about guided visits.
Getting there from Munich
From Munich Central Station, the S2 suburban train runs toward Dachau and Petershausen. The memorial site gives about 25 minutes to Dachau station as a guide value. From there, bus 726 toward Saubachsiedlung takes about 10 minutes to the stop KZ-Gedenkstätte. For this journey from Munich, the memorial site names the fare zones M-1, including the train and the connecting bus. Parking at the memorial site is limited and at times full. Fares, the car route and the parking fees are on the page getting there from Munich.
Visiting with respect
The memorial site has visitor regulations. They ask for appropriate clothing and that relics and exhibits are not touched. On the grounds of the former camp, smoking, eating and drinking alcohol are not allowed. Music or audio may not be played through loudspeakers, and flags and banners are not permitted. Dogs are not allowed anywhere on the site, with the exception of marked guide and assistance dogs.
Private, noncommercial photos without a tripod are allowed outdoors and in the exhibitions, as long as other visitors are not disturbed. Filming in the former crematorium is expressly forbidden. The memorial site advises against visits by children under 13. All details, including accessibility and luggage, are on the page about the memorial site visit.
The town of Dachau
Dachau is also a town with its own history. The old town, the town hall, the parish church of St. Jakob, the palace and the museums are destinations of their own. The historic core of the old town is protected as an ensemble. In the passage to the viewing terraces behind the town hall, memorial plaques commemorate Jewish citizens of Dachau who were victims of the Holocaust.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Dachau was home to an artists' colony. The town's Gemäldegalerie and Bezirksmuseum are open to visitors. The Neue Galerie has been closed since 1 May 2025.
The town's tourist information is located at Karlsberg 1a, in the small former customs house. It is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on market Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is a town service and does not handle bookings for the memorial site.
Pages in this guide
History, the visit itself and the town, each on its own page.
The camp 1933 to 1945
The history of the Dachau concentration camp, its prisoners and the persecuted groups, with dates.
The liberation
29 April 1945, the death marches before it and the weeks after.
Visiting the memorial site
Opening hours, free admission, the audio guide, the grounds and the visitor regulations.
Guided visits
Public tours, group tours and how to check that a guide is licensed.
The old town
Town hall, the parish church of St. Jakob and the memorial plaques.
Dachau Palace
The palace hall, the court garden and opening hours.
The artists' colony
The painters of Dachau and the museums that show their work.
Dachau: frequently asked questions
Is admission to the Dachau memorial site free?
Yes. Admission is free, and no advance registration is needed for an individual visit. The audio guide, the public guided tour and the car park are charged separately.
When is the memorial site open?
Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on 24 December. There is no regular closing day on Mondays. The last entry to the former crematorium area is at 4:30 p.m.
How much time should I plan?
The memorial site names about half a day for the grounds and exhibitions. A short stop will not cover all the content.
Is the memorial site suitable for children?
The memorial site advises against visits by children under 13 in its FAQ, while its visitor regulations mention children under 12. Minors should come with a parent or guardian. Educational programs are offered only from age 13.
How do I get from Munich to the memorial site?
Take the S2 from Munich Central Station to Dachau, then bus 726 to the stop KZ-Gedenkstätte. The details are on the page getting there from Munich.
Is this the official website of the memorial site?
No. This is an independent visitor guide. For binding information, please contact the memorial site directly.