Visits to Auschwitz Memorial Museum up 41% in 2023

More people made the visit to the Auschwitz Memorial Museum in 2023 than in previous years, the museum announced on X on Wednesday. This indicates that while global antisemitism has dramatically increased, the memory of the Holocaust lives on. 

Over 1.67 million people visited the museum in 2023, which is a significant rise from the 2022 numbers, which were limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In 2023, over 1.67 million people visited @AuschwitzMuseum. This is 41 percent more than the previous year, indicating a slow return to the situation before the global pandemic.‘Today, the memory of the tragic events of Auschwitz not only serves as the foundation for protecting… pic.twitter.com/1RFukgBVNG

— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) January 3, 2024

While most visitors came from Poland, a large number traveled from the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, the United States, Italy, France, Slovakia, and the Netherlands.

The number of people interacting with the museum is also expected to grow with the application of Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes," which will allow people to tour the concentration camp online with guides providing tours in 20 different languages.

"In total, the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust organized over 930 various educational activities as part of these visits. Systemic public support for bringing students to the Memorial Site is particularly important. Additionally, the ICEAH hosted many conferences and seminars, including an international educational conference dedicated to new technologies in education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust," said Andrzej Kacorzyk, the director of ICEAH.

Why is visiting the museum so important?

‘“Today, the memory of the tragic events of Auschwitz not only serves as the foundation for protecting the world from the destructive impact of any ideologies of hatred and prejudice but also shapes our moral responsibility. The fact that almost 90 percent of the Museum visitors expand their historical awareness under the guidance of our educators is of fundamental importance,”’ said the Museum's director, Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński.

“Walking through the authentic post-camp space becomes not only the acquisition of knowledge, of facts or dates but a profound personal experience that prompts reflection on our own ethical attitudes. Moreover, people worldwide will now have the opportunity to use a groundbreaking, globally unique tool – a platform allowing online live guided tours," emphasized Cywiński.