The Auschwitz -Birkenau State Museum is gradually opening, putting the security of visitors and staff as a priority. It is not the first time when they have to walk the uncharted territory in order to make their work better. I was among the first visitors to enter and I was impressed with how professionally they manage the new reality. As for now keeping all those restrictions will be easy as the numbers of people entering are low. Latter some changes and adaptations will be made but the museum proved to be flexible when needed. They don’t let things loose. There are Museum employees reminding people discreetly to wear a mask when inside the blocks or exhibits. They have made almost the entire permanent exhibit available with blocks number 4, 5,6, 7 and 11 opened. All of the glass cabinet exhibits with documents were removed. The gas chamber and crematorium section in Auschwitz I is also available in a much larger capacity than normal. Everything the Museum did had the creation of more space in mind. Some parts of the exhibit creating narrow passages were just removed.

To make the educational experience more complete and replace for some sections which are still off-limits there were large outdoor exhibition panels installed. Showing pictures and narrating history.

Of course, as for now, there are only individual visitors permitted without museum educators or guides. Taking this into consideration I would highly recommend everyone planning to enter to do the history homework before showing up. There is an abundance of films and books to choose from preparing a visitor to understand the Auschwitz chronology and geography better. Like the book or miniseries by Laurence Rees – “The Nazis and “the Final Solution”” .