Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Absolutely incredibly powerful place to visit. It’s very well presented and managed - combination of extensive museum exhibits with text (multiple languages), artifacts, real life stories, videos, and pictures. Be sure to read as much as possible as you tour. There are memorials and public art throughout the site that represent many different backgrounds of the victims impacted. Careful reconstruction has been done on a few buildings, some original buildings remain, and much of the open ground is there from where original buildings once stood. We spent nearly 4.5 hours there and could have easily spent longer as learned lots. Audio guides in different languages are available.

It feels more like an exhibition than a museum—quite disappointing, to be honest. It should convey the horror of what took place there, but it doesn't. The fact that there are regular houses just behind the fence, where people live, blew my mind. What goes through people's heads to make it okay for them to have a view of a death camp from their window?

We went with a guided tour with Radius Tours. From Munich, we traveled by train and bus to get to the memorial site. We were with 'German Mark' ...not to be confused with the other Mark 😉 and he provided a lot of insight to the history and development of this memorial site. We came to Munich for Oktoberfest and spent the following morning here. It was sobering, though provoking, impactful, and necessary. You could easily spend the majority of the day here. They do provide self guided audio tours. Someone that we met at our hotel did the audio tour and enjoyed the content. You get a lot of content in the various areas and it's great to see that they are utilizing the space to remember what happened there. It was a very powerful experience.

Worth going and worth checking it out for lots of reasons. It has a canteen for lunch, a book shop, a Carpark. You can follow guided tour by the centre, just head to the reception to join the tour (think is 3 euro per person) when you get there, this can’t be booked online. There are one at 11am and one at 1pm I think (in English). There are also some in German. You can walk into a small gas chamber used for testing poison on people, and see the crematorium used to burn the bodies. Scary but real. All in front of your eyes. And many more scary details. A lesson not to be missed and always be remembered. The visit is free if you don’t follow the tour. You can do the visit using audio guide too.

There are no words to describe the emotions you get from visiting this site! It's definitely a must while in Munich. We went as part of a tour, which I highly recommend as you learn so much from the guide! This was a lifetime experience for sure!

We had a short trip to the memorial site. It is impressive although not many of the original elements are left. The space and the prison part gives you that feeling of hopelessness. It is humbling and creates awareness on the horrors man can inflict on others and how much can one indure. We should be grateful that we don't know any of it.

I don't know how to be descriptive , sensitive and informative at the same time. This was quite frankly the most eye opening experience of my life. The horrors which I was sheltered from came over like an avalanche . This is definitely something that everyone ought to see with their own eyes. The tours were really good and recommended . My tour guide was very informative and knowledgeable (highly recommended) .Even though the level of horrors you see in this tour were frankly out of this world I left it being a better person, someone who's more aware of what can become of mere rumors and what they can snowball into.

Arrive early and sign up for tour at the visitor center. Entry to memorial is free but tour was about 11 euros per person. The limited group size English led tour is at 11 am and takes about 2 hours. There is a lot of information in the museum and take the extra time (since you arrived early) to go through the material on your own (tour will not spend time with exhibits). Dress appropriately for walking and the weather. There is a small cafeteria in the visitor center.

This was one of my favourite places I visited on my trip, which is weird to say. Coming here was such a powerful educational and emotional experience. They give you an audioguide, which tells a lot of important information as you walk through the eerie camp. The museum exhibits were really good, and I spent a long time reading them. I spent so many hours walking around as I went through the audioguide. To get here from Munich, I took the S-bahn then bus.

A must do! In fact, German high school students are required to visit here every year.There were lots of high school groups when we visited. Bring your walking shoes and expect to spend a good portion of the day here if you really want to explore and read the exhibits. it's a soul wrenching experience to see and listen to the horrors that occurred here. There is a small cafe at the visitor center for food and taking a break. A sobering educational experience.

Definitely odd to rate a concentration camp as a five star attraction, but five stars it is. You'll easily spend 3-4 hours exploring the grounds and reading the tons of information exhibits. You can easily reach the camp from Munich by train to Dachau and then an obviously marked bus to the camp from the Dachau train station. The only down side here is that there is nowhere to sit so you will be standing or walking the entire time. The gas chamber and memorial buildings are way off on the far side of the camp. Audio guides are about four euros.

Pros: 1. Free. I like they are not trying to monetize from the tragedy 2. Interesting to see how the very 1st concentration camp looked like 3. Signage is decent Cons: 1. It could have been labeled better, more videos of the atrocity, interviews from historians and/or survivors shown would have been nice 2. Holocaust museum makes you FEEL the pain, meanwhile at its original site, it is just a few buildings and that's it. You feel nothing and you learn nothing new. I thought they owed to all to inform accurately what went on there instead of just putting 1 letter size sign and leave rest to your imagination and bare bones. They could have done better. It is not even educational enough to visit here. Some buildings don't have any sign, so you start from wrong side of entrance (all open anyway). some areas it is important to enter the rooms in the correct order (for example the rooms leading up to the gas chamber) but they have no labels, so you never know, after you have seen it all, one may realize you walked all wrong get out of building and redo.. 4. There is NO one to answer questions/ no audio guide, no one. People only show up at closing time and yell at you to leave. 5. Bus does NOT come! Maybe once an hour although the bus stop says every 15 min or so. When they do come, they don't stop at this stop, you see the number of bus is right but they won't stop and drive past you.. we had to walk quite a lot and then take a taxi! No metro access

Took a tour of the Dachau concentration camp and learned about the prisoners and system. Toured the museum and buildings with a tour guide who was very informative. A lesson on history and the atrocities that happened as a reminder to not repeat the past. There are rules to show respect to those who were beaten and killed

Obviously this is a difficult visit - but worthwhile if you are anywhere near Munich because it's an easy, short train ride to get to and you owe it to yourself to learn, in person, up close, about these atrocities of human nature and how people allowed themselves to stay ignorant because, that was easier, for 13 years. It takes about a half an hour to get here via train from Munich and a short 10-minute bus ride. I booked a local tour guide who was very good and walked us through the museum, the grounds, and imparted things to us that I had never even heard. I was especially impressed to learn that part of German required primary education for children is to attend these camps and learn about what happened here, in person. Great care has been taken to preserve some of these buildings in order to honor those who died here and to remember what happened so as to warn future generations not to repeat.

This is a must go location when in the area. I recommend going with a tour to get the best experience and learn the most you can

KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau is a place that demands solemn respect and serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed during one of humanity's darkest chapters. During my visit, I had the privilege of being guided by an exceptional English-speaking tour guide. Their knowledge and compassion shone through as they shared the harrowing history and stories of those who suffered within the camp's walls. While the experience was profoundly moving, I made the conscious decision not to capture or share photos of the gas chambers. I believe it is crucial to exercise sensitivity and respect for the profound emotional impact such images can have on viewers, especially considering the traumatic nature of the subject matter. I strongly recommend visiting KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau for those who are prepared to confront the reality of the Holocaust. It is a somber yet necessary pilgrimage that allows us to honor the memory of the victims and gain a deeper understanding of the horrors they endured. By visiting this memorial, we contribute to the preservation of history and ensure that the lessons learned from the past are never forgotten.

This is a must to learn more about history. This wasn't my first time here and a lot has changed. They have added an audio tour option. This part was cool as there's a lot of information to hear but also to read. The devices are 4.50€ a piece. If you bring the double earphone Jack plug and some earphones you can share with someone else. Can be a great option for littles. They do have English tours 2 times a day at 11am and 1pm There is a cafe and gift shop there. Didn't get a chance to visit as there were a bunch of school kids there. I didn't do the tour guide this time as I did it in the past. However I recommend a tour guide as it helps you not miss so much from all the reading and the crowds that can be there as you will find yourself skipping things do to the crowds.

I visited Dachau when I was an exchange student in 1992. What a powerful experience! The small museum at the entrance does a good job of explaining how the camps started and the atrocities that happened within them. The artifacts, while yes, a bit morbid and definitely sad, are very fascinating. The extents that the Nazis went to to separate prisoners into groups and subclasses within those groups is almost mind boggling. The rebuilt barracks buildings, to show you the living conditions prisoners were subjected to, pull at your heartstrings. The crematorium, with the showers and ovens, and the notch in the beam showing where some prisoners were hung.....it really makes you question how sick human beings can really be, and for what? After the war, different religions were allowed to build small chapel-like buildings for visitors to sit and reflect, mourn, whatever they need to do. I remember getting back on the bus, and someone in our group asked if anyone heard any birds singing while we were inside the camp. Not one of us could say that we had, but they were heard outside the grounds, all around. A sign that nature was showing respect to all the victims of that terrible place? I like to think so. Anyway, definitely worth a visit. I firmly believe that everyone should visit at least one camp, to really get a grasp of what happened during such a horrible time in human history. 22/2021

Dachau is located in Southern Germany. It was the first regular concentration camp established by the National Socialist government. My first visit over 30 years ago hit me pretty hard and it didn't get easier over time. The remnants of 12 years of evil is overwhelming. Currently you can take an audio tour, guided tour or private tour. We elected to browse on our own with the audio tour. We walked through prisoner processing rooms, prisoner baths, role call square, barracks, cells, gas chambers, crematorium and much more. My favorite part of the tour was visiting the religious chapels, churches and spiritual monuments. I also appreciated the soulful statue of the Unknown Prisoner. The phase engraved into the base of the statue translated into English says ... "To honor the death, to admonish the living." There is a Dachau Memorial Museum on the property that you could spend several hours walking through. They have endless photos, documentation of every kind and recordings by those who survived. You need an entire day to fully absorb all that is available.

Dachau is a must see if you're visiting Munich. It is convenient to get to via public transportation. The bus basically drops you right off at the entrance. I highly recommend the 2 hour guided tour. There are English tours at specific times during the day so make sure to check on the website. The tour itself was very informative. Our guide gave us an in depth background on what it was like to arrive at the labor camp, what life was like there and beyond. We got to see the barracks, gas chambers, the crematorium and more. Afterwards we wandered around the museum. Dachau is a reminder that history should never repeat itself again.

Not much to say other than this is a must do in Munich. The site is powerful and emotionally while also providing you with specific and detailed information. Entry is free and they provide audio guides for about 4 €. I got a guide but after 10 min I stopped using it as there was so much to read. It's a somber experience but one I think is truly meaningful. It's very easy to get here via public trans too.

I knew visiting the Memorial here would be somber, but what I wasn't expecting was for it to disrupt my mental state for the remainder of my trip and for some time after I got home. I was unable to enjoy my trip to Germany after seeing and feeling this place. I don't regret it, but I do wish I had saved it for my last day in country. Having been there, I believe if you have the chance to visit, it is your duty to bear witness to it, but please be more prepared than I was. It still weighs heavily on my mind several years later and i think it may have had a life long impression on me.

Just about every American has seen a WWII movie a time or two, many of which included something about the many concentration camps. Well, seeing a movie and seeing the real deal where the Jews were imprisoned, and sadly for many, met their demise, is two entirely different things. The layout here is done very well. They give you a glimpse into the everyday life of the prisoners. There are two barracks buildings still standing and reconstructed with accuracy. The crematorium might be the most eerie of all the structures. Much of the border fencing is still intact and authentic. It's really worth a few hours of your time. It's 100% free to include parking. Open 9 - 5, I believe 7 days a week.

If you're visiting the Munich area, you should visit Dachau. It is a very powerful and emotional experience. They have done an exceptional job of telling the story of the concentration camp and the unthinkable acts that happened here. The buildings and museum all have signs and information posted in both German and English. We opted to also use the audio guides and used them about half of the time. We spent about 3.5 hours there. It was very sobering but worthwhile. Travel to Dachau from Munich is very easy using the S-Bahn and then the bus from the Dachau station to the site. Signs are very clear.

I thought I knew what I was about to walk into, but I really had no idea to the extent of what actually happened there. I highly recommend getting the audio guide if not taking a guided tour of the grounds -- it is worth it, truly. When driving in you stop at the entrance to pay for parking. Then there is a short walk from the parking lot to the information/visitor center. There you are able to purchase tickets, guides, and tours. Also inside the center you will find a little cafeteria that serves light fare and beverages; as well as a shop. After leaving the center you follow the walkway/signs towards the camp. Your visit begins at the front of the large entry way with the gate that reads, "Arbeit macht frei". At this point you are able to walk around in the museum, watch a short video about the camp and the war, go inside one of the barracks, walk around the crematories, and much much more. They hold masses at certain hours and when it is time there is a bell that rings loudly throughout the camp. Allow yourself a few hours here as there is so so much to see and learn; and be prepared to walk a bit. I'd recommend a visit to this camp to everyone, and would definitely go back for another visit when in the area.

This was such an eye opening experience! This was the first time I've been to any concentration camp and I'm glad that I was able to go this one first. It's such an important concentration camp for the Nazis and has so much historical and cultural importance during the war. They have maintained and preserved it as much as they could after the war. It's a pretty expansive area and we spent about 3 hours here. They have a small incendiary building in the back lot and it expands over a huge piece of land. Our tour guide was extremely informative and provided us with so much history, information and her own personal thoughts. It was only 3 € for this, but I believe it also has free entry. I think it's such a historical and cultural significance that I'd definitely recommend to anybody who wants to learn more about the world and of the terrible atrocities that humanity has done at its lowest point. It was also such an emotional experience, as so many terrible things went on here. The transit from Munich to get here was pretty straightforward. You ride on the metro for a bit and then you take a bus from the metro station to Dachau. Since it's a popular tourist destination, there are a lot of tourists going the same way and a lot of information on how to get there, so it shouldn't be a problem!

The name of this infamous concentration camp, which formed the prototype for all the camps that followed, has become synonymous with the horrors of the Nazi regime. It's an easy day-trip from the centre of Munich (a 25-minute ride on the regular S-Bahn trains). Founded in 1933 for political and other prisoners, the camp was extended as the regime expanded the list of those in its sights, including not only Jews, but Roma and Sinti, homosexuals, homeless people, and others labelled undesirable or degenerate. The history is too complex to recount here, but essentially conditions worsened as World War Two got under way and more inmates were transported from newly conquered territories, and the regime under the SS became ever more brutal. Although technically never an extermination camp, of the 200,000 inmates "processed" here, 43,000 died of disease, maltreatment, and murder. The museum covers the whole span of its history from the rise of the Nazi party and the founding of the camp, through to its post-war use as a refugee camp, before it became a national memorial. The details of life in the camp are as harrowing as you'd expect. The site comprises a modern welcome centre, where you can acquire audio guides before walking through the main entrance to the huge "Maintenance Block", now the main museum, before visiting two reconstructed prisoner barracks, the crematoria and finally the gas chambers (intact, but never in fact used here). The site also has remembrance chapels for the Catholic, Protestant and Russian Orthodox churches and the Jewish community. The site is mostly level but there are lots of long gravel paths. From Dachau S-Bahn station (on line 2), the 726 bus (clearly signposted) runs every 12 minutes during day, or it's roughly a 45 minute walk. Our visit took around 3 hours.

An incredibly eye opening and devastating experience. We knew it would be a difficult place to visit and walk through, but obviously something we wanted to see and learn as much about as we could. When you enter you receive an audio guide that walks you through the different points in the camp and offers prisoners' personal stories. The staff has done a very good job keeping the site in tact for those to learn from.

Completely sobering experience, and very well done. The audio guide was a little confusing, but very helpful! You need some sort of collateral in addition to the cost. I recommend a guided tour, but, really, the audio guide works well. Please remember to be respectful while learning about this Concentration camp.

As someone who is very into WW2 history, I was very much wanting to come to Dachau to see a concentration camp in person. My wife and I had only about an hour to see the whole place - I'm glad we fit it in but wish we'd had more time. Because of this, we weren't able to get an audio guide or a guided tour, so I don't feel that we got to experience it like I would have liked. Having been through all matters of emotions at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, we were left feeling, well, not much at Dachau. The signage was minimal and we didn't feel that you got a good sense of the history of it and how it came to happen. Perhaps a tour would have instilled that information and emotion a lot more. Next time we will do that.

While this was a very difficult place to come and visit, it is well worth the visit. This was a very emotional but educational day and i am glad that i went.BE sure to allow yourself at least five hours to really have the opportunity to experience all that is available. I took the guided tour that was available. However I think that the self guided audio tour is the better option. #NeverForget

Dachau really got me in the feels, more so than many others. When visiting a concentration camp or a work camp, every one is subject to emotions and experiences unprepared. With a working knowledge, you think you know what you will see and how you will feel. This camp is laid out differently. The flow pattern inside the museum's are confusing and while I was reading along, I think I may have skipped a room or two. The knowledge is extensive and focuses a lot on individual prisoners and their stories. There is even a mention of the Spanish Civil War and the countries who remained uninvolved. At the end of the main museum, there is a book with the names of prisoners. Take a look

An extremely informative, moving, and eerie place, and a necessary stop when in Bavaria. I was driving north from Munich, so I stopped both here and Nuremberg and inadvertently had a full WWII tour. I think it is so admirable that the Germans have both preserved and accepted their history-I wish we could do that in the US! A must see if in Bavaria.

Standing as a poignant reminder of one of the World's greatest tragedies, Dachau Concentration Camp is worth a visit if anywhere near Munich. Largely destroyed after liberation, some parts rebuilt to describe the daily horrors of life inside, guests visiting the free memorial will find a lengthy history spelled out in German as well as English. From barracks full of lockers and bunks to the showers and crematorium the visuals unfold over a vast space with the far end now featuring houses of worship including Catholic Carmelite Convent.

"Arbeit Macht Frei" was the words written on the gates of Dachau concentration camp. They used it in other camps too. It means "work makes you free." Obviously they were lying. Nothing sets you free here. Dachau is available by train or the S-Bahn (S2 train). Once you come out of the station, you can get on a bus (or walk) to the memorial site. They preserved a lot of it. Most of the barracks are gone. Instead, they built placeholders to show where the barracks used to be. They also have numbers on them in case survivors want to come and visit their old barracks. Most of the buildings are there for your viewing. They do have audio guides, a gift shop, and a cafeteria. They also have a few memorials built for the people who were at the camp. It is a very somber place. It's like visiting a huge graveyard. But I think it's important for everyone who visit Germany to try to go to a memorial site, whether it be Dachau or the others. I came here with a tour group. So I can't comment on the quality of the audio guide. I would suggest a tour group. It was very educational, efficient, and made life a bit easier for the trip. At the Hauptbahnhof train station, you can buy tour packages there for Dachau (and other places). But if you want to take you time there, it's better to come by yourself.

Unforgettable, moving. A once in a lifetime must do - visiting a concentration / death camp. Beautiful area with such a tragic history. One we can never forget. Mankind can be so despicable and this place logs of for future generations.

Very sobering and moving. It was bigger than I expected. I love that Bavaria has chosen to preserve history and include memorials not only for those of Jewish faith, but also Catholics and Protestants. The camp is keeping the history and the story alive in hopes of reminding us that genocides like this should not and cannot ever happen again. This is an easy train from Munich central station and a small bus from the station to the camp. Protip: Look for the EXPRESS train to and from Munich rather than the one with lots of stops at each station. Buy an XL pass which can be used on both the train and the bus - very cheap for multiple people too.

This is one of the smaller Nazi concentration camps, but still a must see, especially if you don't plan to visit another one for the rest of your life. Lots to see and lots to learn, and you'll leave sad but educated. I really hate to give it less than 5 Stars, but the school groups are out of control. Its not all the kids, but about half of them are running around, laughing, joking, texting, flirting, taking selfies, and just being overall loud immature brats. Their phones should be confiscated before arrival. More chaperones are needed to keep them quiet and under control. This is not the time or place to be an asshole.

If you are in Munich and have some spare time, come to Dachau. Dachau Camp is the first concentration camp, and all camps after were model after it. From Munich, get a XXL Day Pass which covers the train and buses. It is only 8~9 Euro and it is worth it FYI - lots of walking is required on the ground. Walking around the camp is free. There is an audio guide for 3 Euro. It gives alot of detailed information about the camp. If you don't' want to chip the 3 Euro, there are alot of information in the museum for you to read. So the audio guide isn't necessary to know what's going on

I would rather not describe this place but, I would highly recommend you see this place once in your lifetime, as a stark reminder of what humans are capable of doing (the ugly stuff that no one wants to see of talk about). This is the third such place I have visited in Germany and it is a real grounding experience in what recent generations have had to endure in order to secure our freedom today. It has been put together with the utmost respect for the victims and I know how hard that can be. I was totally moved by the experience and I am sure you will be too. If you are visiting in Munich or living here it is a place you should not miss.

The camp itself is history, a place where you can go to learn about stuggles, hardships and most of all - it acts a reminder of what we have moved forward from. I came here without a tour guide, just a group of friends, so we were able to walk the grounds as we pleased. Upon walking in it doesn't seem like much, but when you think about the vast space where thousands lived, stuggled for their lives and died it hits you prettty hard. There are information resources in each section. There is a large parking lot filled with cars and tour buses and it a short walk to the camp. It's hard to describe a place like this, but I highly recommend it when visiting the area.

Dachau played an important role in a dark chapter of Germany's history as the first concentration camp of the Nazi era. Today the site serves as a memorial to the people who died here and and as a reminder what kind of atrocities were committed so that history is not allowed to repeat itself. The entire site is open for visitors to wander through and see all the different areas of the camp. We took a guided tour and I would highly recommend that because I learned a lot more about the history of this place than if I had just wandered through it on my own. The whole visit is very emotional and downright heartbreaking at times but highly educational. Like most people I had learned about the Holocaust and World War II in high school but it wasn't until I came here that I could begin to get a sense of how horrible life in these camps was. Even after my trip to Dachau I still feel like we will never fully comprehend how terribly the prisoners were treated. Despite being a very poignant experience I think every visitor to Munich should make the trip here to learn about what happens when extreme political ideologies are allowed to get out of hand. The memorial is very well done and I found it very moving and informative.

It's one thing to read about these horrific camps, but it is an entirely different experience walking through the gas chambers and seeing the crematoriums in person. If you have the opportunity while in Munich, you absolutely, 10000% need to go. The German people have done a wonderful job capturing the monstrous things that happened here in a respectful way that honors those that have died and suffered. It will change your outlook on life, I promise. I do recommend visiting on one of your last days in the city. It is a very emotional and heavy place to be, so don't do this as soon as you get to Munich. If you have a disability be aware the grounds are very large with rougher terrain (gravel). If you have young children, you may want to be cautious, it is very raw and graphic in certain parts. You can get here by train and then a short bus ride on your own, but I recommend a tour. I took the, "Half-Day Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Walking Tour with a Local Guide from Munich by Train" found on Tripadvisor and it was amazing. I highly, highly, recommend going with a tour. There is so much more to learn that isn't written on some of the informational signs or boards. You will not get as much out of the experience if you don't have a knowledgeable person to provide the details

I give this place 5-Stars as a must see in one's lifetime. In 1986, I was a US Army soldier stationed in Germany. I figured this would be my only chance to see Dachau, so I made the long drive towards Munich. No one told me what to expect. I took the self-guided tour of the museum, and then set off on the walking tour of the grounds. As I walked, I felt like someone was behind me, but there was no one. The air became heavy, and I felt a weird sense of sadness or grief. Its as if someone was there......as I stood beside the crematorium ovens. As you walk thru the Rose Garden, and the brick wall where prisoners were shot, you feel a sense of grief. Some call it negative energy......I call it the presence of ghosts. Im not trying to scare you, but this place is haunted. Not really a place for the whole family......just those who want to pay respects.

I wanted to go here obviously not because I have family affected by this but because I have a lot of friends whose families were. On the metro and bus ride away from Munich to Dachau, I imagined myself living in this kind of condition and immediately, I started crying and that's a rare thing. There's a lot of walking involved from the bus stop where the entrance is to the gate of the concentration camp so, be prepared. You'll see a very small closet with a few clothes hanging; metal plate, utensils, the yellow star, the log, a table with a piece of wood used to torture people, personal items and a book of names of all who went to the concentration camps. I find it quite disrespectful to see that somebody had ripped a page though. Inside the barracks, you'll see lockers, bunk beds, bathroom, and toilets. You'll see a waiting area where clothes are left before they go to a room labeled "Brausebad" which is really a gas chamber. There's a sculpture outside the barracks. There are 2 crematoriums: old with 2 "ovens" and the new one with multiple "ovens". There are 30 barracks that are no longer there, watch towers, barb wire and a ditch around the perimeter. There was a heavy feeling knowing I was walking on the same ground where lots of people were killed. That feeling you couldn't shake off easily. May history never repeat itself.

Well done museum and memorial. Had some issues with my electronic automated touring device, which often would misinterpret my input and play the incorrect message. What would really help is if the displays had the number to be input, instead of having to follow the map, which could be hard to figure out where you are and what button to push. Lots of great information, for the most part well organized. Easy to follow at your own pace; read it all or skim and move around. Enjoyed the movie, make sure you know the time for your language. Leave your place in the tour and return when the movie is over. It's mind boggling what horrors humans are capable of. This is not as good as the Holocaust museum in DC, but it's more poignant to be in the actual camp where it all began. Moving, profound, dark, important.

Not much I can say about this other than, if you are in the Munich area, this is a must. A very somber place, but extremely educational and a place everyone should go once in their lives. It is very easy to get to by train and bus.

"Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future." ~ Elie Wiesel There is juxtaposition in the five stars here, and this is one of those times where I wish Yelp offered a no-star rating for somber and indisputable subjects. There was a light drizzle of rain coming down as I walked through the gates of Drachau - wrought iron shaped into the words ARBEIT MACHT FREI (work will make you free). It is a sobering experience like none I've felt before, with the knowledge that more than 32,000 people walked through those gates and never came out alive again. There is so much to take in. There is a film to watch which plays every half hour and rotates among several languages, the camp itself is huge and takes a long time to walk through. There are hundreds of items from the work camp to see and read about, an audio guide with several hours of dialog, guided tours and plenty more to see and do. A day does not entirely do it justice. Three large memorial religious structures stand near the back fence of what used to be the first concentration camp - the one that all others were modeled after. One set of barracks has been rebuilt to show the depravity of living conditions at the time. Artifacts from the dark days are on display. Painted German words still stand over some of the archways in the work house. Visitors walk through the shower room gas chamber in reverent silence. Dozens stand motionless staring into the dimly lit furnaces where ashes still rest. It is dark and depressing. And necessary.

Impressive Concentration camp, it's huge and will take you about 2-3 hours to walkthrough. We had a guide that we paid extra for but you can just show up and do a tour with them or get a hand held device and go at your pace. If you like learning about ww2 you have to come to this place...

This memorial brings the horror stories to life. A very saddening place that was very educational in contrast to what little you learn in school.

I prepared myself before coming here to not be in a somber mood, but to go more so to learn and gain knowledge of Dachau and the war. We see recreations, screen plays, and movies about the camps (concentration, youth, forced labor, prisoner of war, extermination, etc) but I wanted to really get information from the source. If you're not familiar with the area, once you get off at the Dachau station you'll walk out to the bus station and almost everyone is getting on the bus going to Dachau. You probably won't miss your stop because there will be a large exodus off the bus which means you're there. I will say that the 3-4 Euros we paid for the audio tour was money well spent. It has information about the timeline and usage of the camp as well as survivor accounts in their native tongue. They have guided tours as well just in case you didn't want to walk around on your own. As you enter the gates to where the barracks once stood the view opens up to a vacant area with numbered headstones marking each barrack. We tried to avoid the tour groups and went directly to barrack X (the extermination barrack). As you walk the grounds next to the barrack, there are monuments to those buried in the graves as well as information signage marking where the shooting range was. You can still see the bullet holes in the walls. We then made our way into the barrack. It was basically a body processing facility. You enter in one entrance and take off your clothes to be decontaminated then stay in a waiting room waiting to enter the next room which was the "showers". You can see the slots outside the "showers" where the poison gas tabs were inserted to "cleanse" the occupants of the room. The next few rooms were where the corpses where incinerated. There were too many bodies toward the end so they piled & stored the bodies in an adjacent room until time was found to get rid of the evidence. I will admit that even though I had not put myself in the mood that many other were in, I could not physically stay in the gas chamber for long. My body in a way sensed the danger and would not allow me to stay inside. I don't know the fear and pain that was felt in that room but it still haunts the room to this day making all who enter recognize how real this is. We made our way over to the memorials, mainly the Jewish memorial. The Jewish memorial is well constructed and meaningful. The ramp slopes downward toward the main hall which seems to correlate how many prisoners walked down ramps toward whatever killing method ended their lives. The ramp has simulated barbed wire on top of the walls. Then you enter through another set of gates. Looking upward toward the main source of light into the memorial. There is a menorah at the top of the roof where the light comes in. Such darkness in which faith shines the light and gives hope. It also appears that the light is at the top of a chimney which to me seemed to correlate the crematorium and the souls being lifted up the chimney toward their faith. We then headed to the museum which was very informative about classifications within the camps and how prisoners where transferred between camps. There really were a lot more camps than I had thought and each had a different purpose. Visiting Dachau made me realize how inefficient, financial ineffective and societally destructive war can be. It also made me realize that there is hope in even some of the most dire situations in life that can bring some people out as a survivor and not as victim.

Make sure you grab an audio guide. Very helpful on explaining exactly what you are seeing, with some audio commentaries on people that were actually there in the prison. There is a movie that is very graphic, and disturbing. Keep that in mind if you have small children, but, it tells the true story of what happened at the prison camp.

Everyone must visit this historical site. A bus takes you directly to it after you descend the train (from wherever you are coming from). It's rather easy to get there. Please allow almost a day to allow yourself to go on a tour (audio or with the very knowledgeable and dedicated guides), to read everything and slowly walk through history. Also, the book store has books to further your knowledge of German history. There is no cost to enter the camp. The camp is huge so wear proper shoes. I was surprised to see so many people on this blistery cold day. No one was on their phone. Everyone walked slowly and somberly. Can you imagine the cold that the people suffered. It is impossible to share with you what went through my mind; it must be different for all. No need to hesitate in going here. You will be a better person for doing so.

5 stars for making history available to the masses. Not a "happy" exhibit, but one that leaves what happened out in the open to make sure it cannot happen again. It was a large location, it helped to walk through each section. The museum portion was very very detailed. Make sure to enter through the right side so you walk through time in the correct direction. So many details that one had read about and learned in history class, but tangible and viewable. This was not a site that was kept from when it was liberated, but it was returned to close to its original way. Definitely get the audio guide.

Concentration Camp. Circa 1933-1945, KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau, founded by Heinrich Himmler, acted as the model and training facility for Nazi concentration camps during WWII. It was built to hold 5,000 prisoners but at the time of it's liberation in April of 1945, the camp held over 33,000. It is estimated that 43,000 people died here during that span. I made two requests for places I wanted to go on my recent multi-country travels through Europe and this camp was one of them and as odd as it sounds (and my travel partner agrees), visiting Dachau was the best, and by far most memorable, part of our entire trip. If you're anywhere in or around Munich, or wavering on coming here, I urge you to visit. It's a must for anyone and truly worth traveling across the world to experience. I'm not a person who's often or ever 'moved', and I wouldn't say that Dachau 'moved' me or was this pinnacle of an emotional experience... I'm just not that type of person who feels things, but I can see where it could be for some. Coming here is heavy, no doubt, and felt especially so on the grey, freezing November day that we came. Normally, I don't care for memorials. Not that they aren't deserved, I'm just not particularly interested in the bastardization of tragedies and turning out some mega fountain or light sculpture that has nothing to do with the origination or reason behind the memorial. Dachau was nothing like that. This is a memorial done exactly as a memorial for something of this magnitude should be be. It was put together by survivors of this very camp. Nothing was pretty. It was never warm. At no point will you feel comfort or at peace. You'll see vast images of tragedy, horror, masochism, torture, death, terror, hell. You'll read bits of information that aren't emotional or sensationalized, just very matter-of-fact, black and white, simple even. Even the survivor accounts (in the special prisoner housing area) read like neutral testimony, emotionless, yet felt more grim because you could sense the numbness that came from living such tremendous horror. I can't remember a point in my life where I learned as much in such a short period of time. My brain became a sponge for every image, word, and cold, empty-but-filling breath. I advise coming at 9am and spending the entire length of the day (closes at 5pm) to tour the camp, which between the barracks recreation, the new visitors center, the museum, and the KZ grounds is wholly expansive. We gave ourselves from 9:30am - 2:45pm and didn't feel like we had nearly enough time, due in part to their being a LOT of reading. There is a new-ish visitors center just off the camp that has a cafeteria that oddly enough serves some of the best, most affordable, and largest portioned food in all the Munich area. Also recommended, don't fill your post-KZ evening with a ton of plans. Chances are you won't feel like partying or touring the Munich sites much after this. I'd say to leave the remaining evening with time for a meal, a quiet stroll, and then off to bed early. Dachau will definitely drain you, as one would imagine. Admission is free, but we came early to purchase tickets to the 11am English guided tour, which runs roughly 3 hours (it goes by quickly) and only costs 3-Euros a person. You can spend more and join a tour with a private company, but those will run you at least 20-Euro a head and you can expect your tour group to be large and the information to be the same as what you'd hear from taking the $3 tour offered by visitors center. Our tour guide was beyond excellent. I would even go as far as to suggest you do the research to make sure you go on a tour that is run by the same guide as we had, Keith Warmack. Keith is an American who's been living in Munich for the past 11 years and giving tours part time at Dachau since the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Keith is like a mix between the more distinguished silver fox version of Ted Danson and Tim Gunn and I couldn't have loved him more. As weird as it sounds, he wasn't a buzzkill. He gave really useful, factual, information and there were even some dark humorous (but tasteful) undertones during various parts. We learned about more than just the camp and got what was virtually a WWII tour of various historic Munich-area spots and how they related to the war. It was beyond fascinating. I could literally go on all day about everything I learned at Dachau, but instead I'll leave you with the quote that resonated the most and hope that if in the area, you invest some time into experiencing something every person should see and hopefully learn from. "First they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me." ~ Martin Niemölleh

REVIEW #2400! I'm not one of those people that live for Today and let the future take care of itself. I remember things, try to learn from my mistakes, stay mindful of the present, and sometimes over plan for the future. We live in interesting times and one pattern that I unfortunately see more often is the fast and loose use of pejorative terms as political weapons. For example, the word "Nazi" is lobbed around by both Liberals and Conservatives alike and usually without humility or any clue of what they are talking about. Seinfeld didn't help either. And every time I hear that term, I mentally go back to my visit to the old Dachau Concentration Camp, which was the real Nazi deal. Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany, and is located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory outside of Munich. The prison gates first swung open on March 22, 1933 as the first regular concentration camp established by the Nazi Party for political prisoners. This entrance marks words uttered by Hitler (Arbeit Macht Frei), meaning through hard work one will be free. These words served as a purpose of motivation to the inmates. They thought they could be freed through hard work, when in reality the only thing awaiting them was death. The camp was occupied from 1933 to 1960, the first twelve years as an internment center of the Third Reich. From 1933 to 1938 the prisoners were mainly German nationals detained for political reasons. Starting in 1938, a significant population of German Jews and other conquered foreign nations were added. From 1945 through 1948 the camp was used as a prison for SS officers awaiting trial. After 1948 the German population expelled from Czechoslovakia were housed there and it was also a base of the United States. It was closed in 1960 and thereafter, at the insistence of ex-prisoners, various memorials began to be constructed there. Over its twelve years as a concentration camp, the Dachau administration recorded the intake of 206,206 prisoners and 31,951 deaths. Crematoria were constructed to dispose of the deceased and many more prisoners died off site via death marches and executions. Together with the much larger Auschwitz, Dachau has come to symbolize the Nazi concentration camps to many people. This is partially due to the fact that it was the second camp to be liberated by British or American forces, and one of first places where these previously unknown Nazi practices were exposed to the Western world. I personally visited Dachau many years ago and I shall never forget....especially the gas chambers, the cold and eerie memories of genocide, the humbling experience, and for parts of the world that have already forgotten.

This was a very humbling experience- if you are in munich, it's a must. The audio guide was extremely informative- the interviews and information provided was very eye opening. I would recommend everyone do this tour at some point.