Gedenkstätte Bergen-Belsen
Memorial on the grounds of the former prisoner-of-war and concentration camp Bergen-Belsen with a documentation center and camp cemetery.
About the museum
From 1940, a prisoner-of-war camp and from 1943 a concentration camp existed on the site near Bergen. In the concentration camp alone, at least 52,000 people died by 1945, and more than 19,700 died in the prisoner-of-war camp. When British troops liberated the camp on April 15, 1945, they found tens of thousands of survivors and thousands of unburied dead. Until 1950, a camp for displaced persons existed nearby.
A cemetery with mass graves, an obelisk and a multilingual inscription wall was created on the former camp grounds in the first years after the war. In 1952 the memorial was officially established and placed in the care of the state of Lower Saxony. In 1966 a first documentation house with an exhibition opened, and a revised permanent exhibition followed in 1990.
With the documentation center opened in 2007, the memorial gained a new exhibition and education building. The permanent exhibition there covers the prisoner-of-war camp, the concentration camp and the DP camp in sections that can be visited separately; documents, objects, biographies and video interviews with survivors are at its core. The memorial is run by the Stiftung niedersächsische Gedenkstätten (Foundation of Lower Saxony Memorials), which also offers a library, an archive and a search service for individuals.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition on the prisoner-of-war camp, concentration camp and DP camp in the documentation center
- Extensive camp grounds with mass graves, obelisk and inscription wall
- Memorial stone for Anne and Margot Frank
- Video interviews with survivors and biographical in-depth stations
- Terrain models and information stelae on the former barracks
Permanent exhibitions
- Dauerausstellung im Dokumentationszentrum – Sections that can be visited separately on the prisoner-of-war camp, the concentration camp and the DP camp, with documents, objects, biographies and interviews with survivors.
- Historisches Lagergelände – Cemetery with mass and individual graves, memorials and the Haus der Stille (House of Silence); relief models and stelae explain the former camp structure.
- Lernort M.B. 89 – Additional exhibition and learning site of the memorial (accessible only via stairs).
- Founded
- 1952
- Operated by
- Stiftung niedersächsische Gedenkstätten
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Group tours (approx. 3.5 hours, up to 18 people) cost €45 per group, €30 for school, vocational training and university groups; registration required. |
|---|
Free admission.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The public areas of the documentation center are reachable at ground level or by elevator; the learning site M.B. 89 only via stairs. Wheelchairs and museum stools can be borrowed at the information desk; staff can advise on routes suitable for wheelchairs in the outdoor grounds. Five extra-wide parking spaces in the first row. Large-print and Braille materials, audio guides to borrow, videos with German and English subtitles. The exhibition texts are linguistically demanding. Accessible restrooms in the documentation center as well as in the outdoor areas of the education center and the learning site M.B. 89.
Kids & families
Only partly suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 14+
| Time needed | approx. 2.5 hrs |
|---|
- Baby changing facilities
According to the memorial, the permanent exhibition is not suitable for people under 14.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Belsen, Gedenkstätte
Bus line 110 to the stop "Belsen, Gedenkstätte." From Celle station, take line 100 (toward Bergen) or line 900 (toward Winsen/Aller) and transfer to line 110. Very few buses run on Sundays and public holidays. Long-distance buses stop in Bergen (Harburger Straße 20).
By car
Free parking
Free parking lot at the memorial, including five extra-wide spaces in the first row.
- Accessible parking
About 25 km from Celle. In our experience, GPS devices do not always lead reliably to the memorial – please follow the signs.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Museum café in the entrance area of the documentation center (cake, snacks, drinks; group menus for 12 or more people). Bookshop, library and lockers in the documentation center.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 3.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Open tours and walks on weekends in the summer half-year. Group tours of the camp grounds and permanent exhibition (approx. 3.5 hours) only by advance registration; dates are often booked out well in advance. Tours in German and English; also study days and multi-day educational programs. Please leave large backpacks and bags in the lockers. Dogs (except assistance dogs) are not allowed in the building or on the cemetery grounds; bicycles, e-scooters and skateboards are prohibited on the grounds. The camp grounds are a cemetery – sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing are recommended. |
