Visiting the memorial site
The memorial site stands on the grounds of the former Dachau concentration camp, which the Nazi regime opened on 22 March 1933 and US troops liberated on 29 April 1945. More than 200,000 people were imprisoned in the camp and its subcamps, and at least 41,500 died. The memorial site opened on 9 May 1965 on the initiative of survivors. Since 2003 it has been run by the Bavarian Memorials Foundation.
This page is part of an independent visitor guide. It is not the website of the memorial site. Binding information is available only from the memorial site itself. The details below reflect what the memorial site published as of October 2026.
Opening hours, admission and audio guide
Admission is free. The audio guide and the public guided tour are charged separately.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the visitor center, the grounds and the exhibitions |
| Closing day | 24 December each year, in 2026 on 24 December 2026; no regular closing day on Mondays |
| Former crematorium area | Last entry 4:30 p.m. |
| Admission | Free for all visitors, adults included; no advance registration for an individual visit |
| Audio guide | €5, reduced €4 for groups, school students and university students, plus a deposit |
| Audio guide age | From age 13; there is no special audio guide for children |
| Public guided tour | €4 per person, 2.5 hours, from age 13, at most 30 people |
Audio guides are rented out in the visitor center by Linon Medien KG. Reservations are possible only for groups of 10 or more. The memorial site lists these languages for the audio guide: Arabic, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Ukrainian.
Public guided tours in English start daily at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., in German at 12 noon. Tickets are sold on the day only, at the information desk in the visitor center, at least 45 minutes before the start. They cannot be reserved. Group tours and licensed guides are explained on the page about guided visits.
The grounds, place by place
The places in the order in which most visitors walk them. Please treat every part of the grounds as a place of mourning.
Visitor center
The visitor center at the entrance opened on 29 April 2009. Here you find the information desk, the audio guide rental and the tickets for public guided tours. There are only very few lockers.
Jourhaus
The Jourhaus was the gate building of the camp. The iron gate of the former camp is set in this building.
Former roll call square
The open square lies in front of the former maintenance building. The International Memorial by Nandor Glid stands here. It was inaugurated on 8 September 1968.
Main exhibition
The main exhibition in the former maintenance building opened on 2 May 2003. Its guiding theme is the path of the prisoners. The texts are in German and English. The memorial site states that the special exhibition on the Dachau Trials remains accessible until the end of December 2026, although its closing event took place on 14 October 2026.
Reconstructed barrack and foundations
The barracks visible today are reconstructions, not original buildings. One reconstructed barrack contains an exhibition. The foundations of the former prisoner barracks remain visible on the grounds.
Former camp prison
The former camp prison also houses an exhibition.
Camp road and religious memorials
The camp road with its poplars leads to the religious memorials at its end: the Catholic Mortal Agony of Christ Chapel, inaugurated on 5 August 1960, the Carmel Heilig Blut, inaugurated on 22 November 1964, the Protestant Church of Reconciliation, inaugurated on 30 April 1967, the Jewish Memorial, inaugurated on 7 May 1967 by Rabbi David Spiro, and the Russian Orthodox chapel, inaugurated on 29 April 1995.
Former crematorium area
The old crematorium was built in the summer of 1940. Construction of Barrack X began in the spring of 1942, and it was put into operation a year later. It had four cremation ovens, disinfection chambers and a gas chamber disguised as a shower room. According to the memorial site, there was no mass killing by poison gas in the Dachau concentration camp. Why the functional chamber was not used in this way remains unexplained. One eyewitness account describes the killing of some prisoners with poison gas in 1944. In the crematorium area, prisoners were also murdered by hanging and by shots to the back of the neck. An exhibition is located here. The last entry is at 4:30 p.m.
How long to allow
The memorial site names about half a day as the typical time for the grounds and the exhibitions. The public guided tour alone takes 2.5 hours. If you arrive by public transport from Munich, add the journey time described on the page getting there from Munich.
It can help to read about the history of the camp before you come. The page on the camp from 1933 to 1945 gives an overview with dates, and the page on the liberation covers the last weeks of the camp.
Conduct on the grounds
The memorial site has visitor regulations and photo rules. In summary:
- Wear appropriate clothing. Do not touch relics or exhibits.
- On the grounds of the former camp, do not smoke, eat or drink alcohol.
- Do not play music or audio through loudspeakers. Flags and banners are not permitted.
- Dogs are not allowed anywhere on the site. Marked guide and assistance dogs are the exception.
- Private, noncommercial photos without a tripod are allowed outdoors and in the exhibitions, as long as you do not disturb other visitors.
- Do not photograph or film guided tours, seminars, tour leaders or staff. Drones are not allowed.
- Filming in the former crematorium is expressly forbidden.
Children, accessibility and luggage
Age. In its FAQ, the memorial site advises against visits by children under 13. Its visitor regulations mention children under 12. Neither is a general ban on entry. Minors should come with a parent or guardian. Educational programs, the audio guide and the public guided tour are offered only from age 13.
Accessibility. The bus stop is barrier-free. Gravel makes the outdoor grounds harder to cross. Wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters can be borrowed. Ramps lead to the main exhibition, the reconstructed barrack, the camp prison, the crematorium and the Church of Reconciliation, among other places, and there are accessible toilets. Not every part of the site is fully accessible.
Luggage. There are only very few lockers at the visitor center. The memorial site recommends leaving luggage at Munich Central Station if possible.
The memorial site is at Pater-Roth-Strasse 2a, 85221 Dachau. If you have time afterward, the old town of Dachau has its own memorial plaques for Jewish citizens of Dachau who were victims of the Holocaust.
Guided visits to the memorial site
Each of these includes travel from Munich, and admission to the memorial site is free. Only guides licensed by the memorial site may lead tours on the grounds, so ask before booking whether the guide is licensed.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. 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 visit with return travel by train and bus
- Officially licensed guide
- Return train and bus travel
The provider names an officially licensed guide and return travel between Munich and the memorial site by local train and bus. Admission to the memorial site is free.
Check availability →Early-departure guided visit from Munich
- Certified guide, Holocaust history
- Round trip by train and shuttle bus
- Wi-Fi during transport
An early departure with a certified guide who specialises in Holocaust history. Admission to the memorial site is free; please arrive 15 minutes before departure.
Check availability →
Half-day guided visit by train
- Fully licensed guide
- Public transport both ways
The provider names a fully licensed guide and public transport to and from the memorial site. Admission to the memorial site is free. Ask the provider about group size.
Check availability →Guided visits to the memorial site
Guided visits from Munich that include travel, for those who prefer not to organise the journey themselves. Only guides licensed by the memorial site may lead tours on the grounds.
Visiting the memorial site: frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours of the Dachau memorial site?
Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the visitor center, the grounds and the exhibitions. The site is closed on 24 December. The last entry to the former crematorium area is at 4:30 p.m.
Do I need a ticket or a reservation?
No. Admission is free and no advance registration is needed for an individual visit. Only the audio guide and the public guided tour are paid for on site.
How much does the audio guide cost?
€5, or €4 reduced for groups, school students and university students, plus a deposit. It is offered from age 13.
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.