Yes — provided the trip is well organized and the group is properly prepared. A visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is an intense emotional experience that can become an important lesson in history and civic responsibility. A weekend is a logical choice for school and family groups because it allows time for preparation beforehand and discussion afterwards. Remember that weekends can be busier, so bookings and logistics should be arranged in advance.
This guide gives practical advice: what to see from the perspective of history and architecture, how to prepare young people, how to split the program across two days or run a one-day trip, and what to do after returning home so the experience becomes a lasting lesson. We start with key facts and the places that make up the Memorial.
Auschwitz-Birkenau refers to two main camps: Auschwitz I (the original camp) and Auschwitz II–Birkenau (the large extermination camp). The camp complex was established in 1940 and was evacuated and liberated at the end of January 1945. The site has become a symbol of Nazi crimes — historical research and documents indicate about 1.1 million victims of various nationalities.
Today the area operates as the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau and serves as a place of memory and education. Auschwitz I houses exhibitions in original brick buildings, while Birkenau is a wide landscape of wooden and brick barrack ruins, railway tracks and the remains of crematoria — here the camp’s layout and infrastructure best reveal the industrial scale of the genocide.
From an architectural point of view, Auschwitz I draws attention with its solid brick buildings — administrative offices, prison blocks converted into exhibitions and the characteristic gate with the inscription "Arbeit macht frei." Here you can more easily see how pre-existing structures (often military barracks) were repurposed into an institution of repression.
Birkenau is a stark contrast — a vast open area with long, low barracks (often wooden), miles of fences and roads, the railway ramp where selections took place, and the ruins of crematoria. This 'architecture' was not designed as art; it was a tool of the system: logistical, engineering and economic. Looking at materials, construction methods and site layout helps young people understand that the organization of mass murder required planning and infrastructure.
A preparatory conversation is essential. Set clear objectives: remembrance of the victims, understanding mechanisms of hatred and totalitarianism, and reflection on individual and communal responsibility. Provide basic historical facts, short primary-source materials and a list of places they will see — this helps reduce fear and increases receptiveness to the museum's message.
Prepare students emotionally: discuss possible reactions (sadness, anger, surprise) and suggest coping strategies. Offer an opt‑out option for students who may find the visit too traumatic. Plan short critical-thinking exercises — for example, photo analysis, working with an excerpt from a testimony, or a short preparatory homework assignment.
Book tickets well in advance — the Memorial receives large groups and some dates, especially weekends, fill up quickly. Check the museum’s rules for group reservations and availability of museum educators.
From Kraków to Oświęcim it's about a 1–1.5 hour coach ride depending on traffic. Many groups choose an early departure to begin visiting in the morning and avoid the busiest hours. A full guided visit of both parts of the camp (Auschwitz I + Birkenau) usually takes 3 to 4 hours; if you plan educational workshops, add another 1–2 hours.
Remember practical matters: comfortable shoes, layered clothing (Birkenau is open and windy), a small backpack instead of a large bag, and a water bottle for after the visit. The Memorial is a place of solemnity with rules of conduct — avoid loud conversations, and do not eat or drink in exhibition areas; check the specific regulations before your trip.
The Memorial is both a museum and a cemetery. Ask students to be quiet, respectful and attentive. Discussion is appropriate outside exhibition zones or after the visit in a designated debriefing area.
Provide emotional support: chaperones should be visible and ready for short conversations with students, and should schedule a time and place for a shared debrief. Allow a moment of silence and reflection — this is an important part of learning at this site.
Divide supervisors’ roles: one person handles attendance and safety, another prepares the group’s substantive background, and a third leads discussions and takes notes. If you use a museum guide or educator, agree in advance on the scope of the presentation and the points you want covered (for example: particular prisoner stories, regional context, camp architecture).
After returning, plan a debriefing — a short class discussion, a written assignment (reflection, a letter to a historical figure, a multimedia project) or group work on a single theme (e.g., architecture as a tool of violence, mechanisms of propaganda). These activities help transform emotions into knowledge and critical thinking.
Day 1 (Saturday): Kraków — introduction and preparation. Morning: short lessons at school or in the hotel, presentation of source materials and rules for conduct. Afternoon: a walk in Kraków linked to the historical context, light group integration and a reminder of Sunday’s plan.
Day 2 (Sunday): Trip to Oświęcim. Early departure from Kraków, arrival at the Memorial, visit to Auschwitz I (exhibitions in the buildings), short break, walk to Birkenau — grounds, barracks, ramp. Return to the coach, lunch and a short debrief on the way back or in Kraków. The whole day, including travel, usually fills the day.
Short reflective essay: what I saw and how it changed my understanding of history; a photography project — analysis of architecture (with attention to the ethics of documentation); a group presentation on one aspect (for example: the railway system, daily life of prisoners, the role of media in propaganda).
Organize acts of remembrance: a moment of silence, a bulletin board with students’ reflections, or a school newsletter where students publish short texts. It’s important that memory is anchored in concrete follow-up activities rather than ending with a single day.
Reservation of entrance tickets and any workshops at the museum — well in advance.
Parental permissions and participant list; division into groups and assignment of supervisors.
Travel plan, contact number for the driver/coach and copies of documents on the supervisor’s phone.
Small backpack, students’ documents, medications, water, comfortable shoes, and a changeable jacket.
Short instruction for students: quiet, respect, no eating or drinking in exhibitions, and the place and time for debriefing.
A trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau is a significant educational and emotional challenge. When well prepared — before and after the visit — it becomes an invaluable lesson about history, morality and responsibility toward others. The camp’s architecture and preserved structures help to understand that what happened there was the result of both a cruel ideology and system-level logistical solutions. Talk with young people honestly but with care.
If you are planning a trip with a class or a group of young people and want concrete help preparing the program, I can assist in developing a scenario, a list of preparatory materials and debriefing proposals. You are welcome to contact ZwiedzanieKrakowa.com — Małgorzata Kasprowicz.
