Muzeum Pamięci Mieszkańców Ziemi Oświęcimskiej

About the museum

The Muzeum Pamięci Mieszkańców Ziemi Oświęcimskiej (Museum of the Memory of the Residents of the Oświęcim Land) began operating in June 2018 as a municipal institution. Until the end of July 2023 its organiser was the Powiat Oświęcimski (Oświęcim County); it is now the Województwo Małopolskie (Małopolska Voivodeship), and it is co-run by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

The museum is housed in the historic former Lagerhaus building on the outskirts of Oświęcim, about 200 metres from the Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum). After modernisation, adaptation of the building to the institution’s needs and the setting up of a permanent exhibition, the museum opened to visitors on 1 May 2022.

The institution’s mission is to commemorate the residents of the Oświęcim Land who, during the Second World War, often at risk to their lives, helped prisoners of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. The permanent exhibition is multimedia in character, and its core consists of recordings of eyewitness testimony. The collections, recordings and memories are donated to the museum by residents of the region and then used in exhibitions, research and publications. An educational and recreational zone for children, called the Ścieżka Superbohaterów (Superheroes’ Path), has also been created next to the building.

Highlights

• multimedia permanent exhibition based on eyewitness testimony
• stories of residents who helped prisoners of the Auschwitz camp
• historic former Lagerhaus building
• audio guide in five languages, including audio description and Polish Sign Language
• Ścieżka Superbohaterów (Superheroes’ Path) – an educational and recreational zone for children

Permanent exhibition

• Wystawa stała Muzeum Pamięci Mieszkańców Ziemi Oświęcimskiej – Multimedia exhibition on three floors, based on eyewitness testimony about residents of the region who helped prisoners of the Auschwitz camp.

Founded

2018

Operated by

Województwo Małopolskie (instytucja współprowadzona z Ministerstwem Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Tuesday – free admission to the permanent exhibition for individual tourists (audio guide charged separately).

The ticket also covers the temporary exhibitions currently on display in the museum. Free admission is also available to, among others, holders of the Karta Polaka (Polish Card), museum employees, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, and veterans. Advance booking online or by telephone is recommended.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

A ramp with handrails leads to the main entrance. Inside there are wide passages and a lift, and the ticket office has counters at different heights. The audio guide includes a route with audio description and a route in Polish Sign Language (PJM). In the building, “attention zones” have been marked for blind and visually impaired visitors, and at the ticket office a free induction loop with headphones is available. The accessible toilet on the ground floor has a call system. Noise-cancelling headphones and a pre-guide in easy-to-read and easy-to-understand text are available.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Playground / play area

The museum offers a family ticket, a family audio guide route and educational workshops. Next to the building is the Ścieżka Superbohaterów (Superheroes’ Path), an educational and recreational zone for children and young people with wartime sculptures of children and play equipment.

Getting there & parking

From the PKP railway station it is about a 20-minute walk to the museum along ul. Wyzwolenia and ul. Leszczyńska. The Małopolska Wiślana Trasa Rowerowa (Małopolska Vistula Cycle Route) runs nearby, and the museum is a cyclist-friendly place.

Amenities & dining

Next to the building there is a free bicycle park with basic bicycle repair tools.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Hire of the conference room with service and multimedia equipment; each hire is decided by the director.

Plan your visit